Deep Breaths
by Courtni Desiree
Summary: Lily Potter wasn't home the unfortunate night of Halloween, 1981, and survived, as did Harry with the protection from James' love. Full summary inside. Somewhat AU.
1. Prologue

**Full summary: **Lily Potter wasn't home the unfortunate night of Halloween, 1981, and survived, as did Harry with the protection of James' love. Sirius never went off to hunt down Peter, and therefore was never framed. Kind of follows the story line, but it's obviously different. d:

**Okayyy; so, hi. This was an idea I had. oo: **

**The first and second chapters were written on my iPod, soooooo, they'll _probably_ be a bit... ... They're quite vague. They're short, and they're not really the most wonderful style of writing. I plan on fixing that now that I finally have it on the computer. (: **

**Alsoooo, Expect updates either every week or every other week. I've just started marching band(3!) back up, and therefore, I can't write 24/7. **

**Meh; lemme know what ch'uu thinkkk. **

* * *

On the night of Halloween, the year 1981, a certain Lily Evans Potter apparated to... Shall it be called an 'unhomely' scene.

Of course, she might've guessed that on Halloween something horrid could occur. She had only been gone for two hours; having gone to her parents' house to give them their favorite candies from Honeydukes'.

But what she saw left her... Speechless. Soundless. Breathless. Thoughtless.

It had to be a prank. It had to be.

But it wasn't.

Her husband lying on the floor of their home.

Not only that, but her husband, lying on the floor of their home _dead_.

Finally, the crying of a child snapped her out of her trance.

_Harry_, she thought, her eyes scanning over every piece of rubble on the ground.

Finally, she saw a slight movement and rushed over to gather her only child in her arms. "Harry, oh, Harry," she cooed, looking around. Finally, after staring at James' body, which was lying in an odd position on the floor, it sunk in. James was dead.

She had absolutely no doubt this was the doing of Voldemort. But why had he left Harry?

Lily took in a shuddering breath before rushing over to James and sobbing into his chest. She desperately wished to hear a heartbeat.

She was wrong when she thought he was dead. She had to be.

But she wasn't.

She stumbled to her feet, Harry still in her arms, and ran outside.

Once outside, in the dead of the night, she fell to her knees, sobs shaking her form. Only when she heard a voice did she even attempt to move, and this movement was only to open her eyes and look up. ... And up. And up. Until she found the face of Hagrid.

"Er," he started, grabbing her shoulders and hoisting her to her feet. She stumbled a few feet, her legs very unstable, but she managed to steady herself. "I was s'pposed to get Harry fer Dumbledore. But I reckon he's no clue that yer livin' an' breathin'."

Lily brushed her hand across her cheeks, pointlessly drying her face only to have it soaked within another second. Searching for her voice to reply to the large man in front of her, she tightened her grip on Harry, who was lifting a hand to his forehead.

Lily, who was just now really looking at her son, noticed a cut on his forehead. It was a lightning bolt, and it was bleeding slightly.

Wordlessly, she reached up to wipe the wound clean. Finally, she heard a voice that she knew all too well.

"Lily?" Sirius called, dismounting his motorcycle.

"Sirius!" she shrieked, sprinting towards him. He opened his arms, allowing her to run into them and hide her face in his chest, her sobs growing and becoming more frequent.

"Shh," he whispered in her hair, stroking it softly. "Shhh."

"He's gone, Sirius," she cried, taking a fistful of his shirt, pulling the two closer. "He's—_sob_—gone."

"What happened?" Sirius asked slowly, taking Harry from her arms. As soon as her arms were empty, they gripped her stomach helplessly.

"He killed him!" she rasped, shaking her head as if she could erase this event. "Voldemort!" she hissed, her voice dripping with pure, boiling hatred. "He killed James!"

Sirius froze. He had known what she was going to say. He'd known it, but he still froze at the words.

Hagrid, who had been standing by the whole time, was suddenly aware of the time. "Well, I'll be off then," he told them awkwardly. "I'll be tellin' Dumbledore," he explained before setting off.

Sirius set Harry in his lap before taking Lily in his arms and cooing to her.

"He lied." She stated simply. "He was a liar all along."

Sirius didn't have to hear Peter Petigrew's name in order to know she was talking about him.

New anger boiling in his veins, Sirius made a move to get up, to confront his so called 'friend', but Lily grabbed on to him. He reluctantly sat back down, hugging his best mate's wife and child safely to his chest.

* * *

"You think he's... Gone?" Lily managed to get out, her voice still raspy from her continuous crying.

"Yes," Dumbledore confirmed. "I do believe your son somehow lived. Somehow defeated Lord Voldemort. Now, as if he is dead, I cannot say."

"B-but that's impossible. Harry is barely a year old. How could he have possibly survived an attack? How could he have defeated the greatest dark wizard?" Lily fretted. Not to say she wasn't proud, but nothing made sense. Her husband had been smart enough to become an Animangus. Her son was barely a year old.

"All will be revealed in time. I, too, am curious as to what happened within your house yesterday, but we must wait until it is revealed."

Lily nodded weakly at Dumbledore. She inhaled. "My son can't go anywhere without being stampeded, can he?"

"I cannot tell you the answer, but I can assure you that his name will be famous, as will his scar."

"And Peter?" Sirius asked, getting to his feet.

"Is being searched for right now, no worries."

Sirius nodded once before taking Harry from Lily's arms. He turned to Lupin, handing him Harry, while going back to steady Lily. She had started swaying again, and that was never a good sign with her.

"Calm, Lily," he soothed. Her jaw clenched tight and her eyes shone with unshed tears. Dumbledore disapparated after a quick good-bye and it was silent, apart from a laughing Harry. "Lily, calm." He had seen the 'storm' look in her eye that James had always spoke of, the very rare one that made her go on a rampage. "Settle. Don't scare Harry."

"Bloody, don't scare Harry!" she exploded, glaring daggers at Sirius. "What do you think he was doing when his father was being killed? /Laughing/?" Her hands clenched and unclenched in anger, her eyes forced shut. "What do you expect me to do? Move on and forget about my son and unborn child's father?" she seethed, advancing on the very scared looking Mauruder.

Apparently, only Remus caught on. "You're pregnant?"

"Bloody hell I'm pregnant! To a baby who'll never know their own father!" she shrieked, falling on to the couch of the muggle motel Dumbledore advised them to stay in.

"In Harry's defense, he barely knew Prongs," Sirius pointed out.

Lily's eyes snapped open as she glared at him. "Don't you dare act as if I'm angry with Harry."

Sirius raised his hands in defense.

Lily let out a moan until she buried her head into her hands and broke into sobs. Lupin set Harry down on the floor, allowing him to crawl around as he went over to join Lily.

"Lily," Lupin cooed, hugging her tightly to his chest.

"James is gone," she sobbed, her arms wrapping around her center. Sirius sat on the other side of her, a tear slipping down his cheek.

It didn't take long until all of them were practically sobbing over their loss. That was, until Lily jumped up and sprinted to the bathroom and the two others heard a horrible retching sound. Sirius joined her, holding her hair back for her, being sure none of her vomit could catch in it.

"When did you find out?" Sirius asked her gently. He was stroking her back soothingly.

"Yesterday," she cried before throwing up once again. Once she could talk again she looked at him. "I'd been wondering for about four weeks. I was going home to tell him. I hadn't even told my parents. I stopped by to check right before their house."

"Oh, love," he whispered, stroking her back again as she threw up another time.

"Katherine Lily or James Justin," she said weakly. "He wanted those names. Well, he wanted Justin Jonathan, but I can't help but feel like if it is a boy I have to name him James. I don't care if I already have a son with that middle name."

Sirius nodded. "What does do you think this time? Last time you were right."

"I think this one is going to be Katherine." She answered, her voice stronger than it had been lately.

"Confident there, are you?" He smirked, standing up to get her a glass of water. When he returned, her frown was back on her face.

"How are we going to get through this, Sirius?" Her voice shook slightly, as did her hand as she took the water. "I don't think I can handle this. I don't think I can live without James."

Sirius sighed loudly. "I keep thinking exactly that. I can't come to tell myself my best mate was murdered. I can't make myself realize I'll never see him again. Or, at least I won't for quite a while, I hope." His voice was shaking at the end, his eyes swam in tears he refused to let fall.

"My husband is dead." Lily said bluntly. "I can't help but think he saved Harry. How could he still be alive if James hadn't protected him somehow? I admit it, I'm beyond happy dancing in my head about the fact that one of my boys is alive, and I know James would have died for Harry, but Merlin, why couldn't it be me?"

"Because," Sirius said softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Because you've got to be alive for little Katharine here." He exhaled slowly and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Prongs wouldn't have had it any other way. Think of this as if it were his last request or something."

Lily sniffed, shaking her head.

Lupin made his way in, looking at her carefully, Harry asleep in his arms. "Feeling better?"

Unable to find her vocal chords, Lily shrugged.

"Lily, listen," Remus said quickly, "we all miss Prongs. Sirius and he were practically brothers. They lived together for a long while. He was my best mate. But Harry has no idea what's going on, and he keeps asking for you or Prongs. He needs you now."

Nodding, she reached for her son wordlessly. Harry stirred, but did not wake up.

Somehow, she would get through this. Not just for herself, but for her kids as well.

* * *

**If the response is good, I'll continue. **

**If it's not... **

**I won't. **

**So if you like it, you should review. (: **

**Anddd, remember, the writing style will improve starting chapter tres(threeee). **


	2. Christmas Time

**Okay, so, decent response... **

**Heres how its going to go: **

**There will be one chapter per year until Harry starts at Hogwarts, and then... it all depends on the story line. **

**Andddd, it'll probably have some of the same events(the stone, the chamber, buckbeak(i have an idea for third year... :D), tri-wizard, etc.) **

**So, si. **

**This is another blah chapter, and also the only other prewritten one, so from here on I've got to write them. M'mkay? **

**M'mkay. **

* * *

Exactly one year had passed since the death of James Potter, and Voldemort had not been seen since that night.

Lily, now the mother of two children: Harry James Potter and Katherine Lily Potter, had resorted to shopping in muggle markets to avoid getting attacked by admirers of her son, 'The-Boy-Who-Lived.'

Yeah? Well how come James couldn't have been 'The-Man-Who-Lived'? She would often think bitterly.

It wasn't that she was still the girl who lost her husband a year ago, it really wasn't. Sirius and Lupin were there for her constantly; in fact, the three(along with the kids) now lived together.

The thing that Lily really hated, however, was that she had lost James.

Harry would ask every morning if his father had returned yet, and every morning Lily was reminded of her loss.

However, every day the pain in her chest got smaller, and she prayed that it would eventually disappear completely. But she knew it wouldn't.

"Lily!" Lupin called from the end of the aisle. She looked up at him, and when she was what he was holding, grinned. "Look! This store has them, too!"

"Yes, Moony," she giggled, patting his shoulder. "I guarantee you that every muggle store will have non-flying brooms and electronics."

"Yes, I know but- wait. What are electronics?"

"A whole year and I've yet to get us a TV or microwave," she muttered to herself. "Tell you what. After this store, we'll go to an electronics store and we'll get some appliances for our house."

Remus' lips turned up in a smile. "Okay!"

Suddenly, a two year old boy sprinted around the corner, shortly followed by a much taller man, black hair growing longer than normal. "Harry!" he called, finally reaching the boy before scooping him up in his arms. "I've got you, now!" Sirius grinned, causing Harry to let out a giggle, reaching out for Lupin.

"Help!" he cried towards his uncle figure. His pleas were soon drowned out by his own laughter, until finally his godfather placed his feet back on the ground. In less than two seconds he was off towards the end of the aisle again.

"Harry!" Sirius groaned, turning to chase after him once again.

Lily rolled her eyes and looked at her daughter who was sitting in the cart. "Kitty, why do I bring these silly boys to the store with us?"

"You know you love us," Lupin grinned as he retreated back down the aisle to put the muggle items back.

She wasn't really sure why she brought them, she realized, as she placed the loaf of bread in her cart.

* * *

After that, Christmas approached fast and before Lily knew it she was wasting half of her galleons, spoiling her children.

"Mummy! Mummy!" Harry cried, running into his mother's room, early Christmas morning.

"What, baby?" she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"It's Christmas!" Harry grinned, running back out the door and into Sirius' room.

Lily pulled herself into a sitting position, looking over at the crib against the wall. Katherine was sleeping, still. She had been a heavy sleeper, ever since the day she was born. Of course, she was only born July fourteenth, making her only a little over five months old.

Lily took her daughter out of her crib, gently, and carried her down the steps of their house.

Since the death of James, the house at Godric's Hollow had not been touched, meaning it was still looking exactly as it had when they left it.

They were now living in a house just outside of London, and they were also making new wizard friends.

For example, a while back, in Diagon Ally, Sirius had come sprinting from the book shop, explaining how he had just met a family of nine, and, although one of their sons was starting Hogwarts this year, they also had a son Harry's age, and a daughter Katherine's age.

____

_"Lily!" Sirius came running towards the twenty-two year old wildly._

_"Yes, Padfoot?" she asked irritably as she took a spoonful of ice cream. Most of the time when she was annoyed she would call Sirius 'Padfoot' rather than Sirius. _

_"I found someone you might like to meet," he grinned. He picked Harry up, running his fingers through his godson's hair, long enough to conceal his lightning bolt shaped scar. "Come with me."_

_Sighing, Lily grabbed her daughter and followed closely behind Sirius. "I swear, if this is another of the people you pranked at Hogwarts..." She trailed off, heading into the bookstore. She heard the sound of Lupin's voice and looked over towards him. He was standing with seven red heads, though it looked as if the tallest was holding another._

_"-and though I assume- ah! Here they are!" he exclaimed, looking up._

_"Molly," Sirius greeted, nodding at her._

_"Hello, Sirius," she smiled back. "I assume this is family you ran to get? One with a boy Ron's-" the youngest looking boy looked up at the sound of his name, tilting his head, "age, and a girl Ginny's?"_

_"Yes," he nodded. "Sorry if Moony here bored you while I was away," he smirked, setting Harry down._

_"Oh, no worries, he didn't bore us at all." Molly smiled. She turned to Lily. "Hello, I'm Molly Weasley."_

_"Hello," Lily greeted. A smile flittered across her lips. "I'm Lily Potter, this is my daughter, Katherine, and that is my son, Harry."_

_Something flashed in Molly's eyes, but she simply smiled and nodded. Her son, however, looked stunned. "Harry Potter?" he asked for clarification. Lily sighed and nodded, looking at Harry and pushing invisible hair away from her forehead. Harry did the same to his, but with his actual hair. Molly and her oldest son gasped, looking closer at Harry to see if the scar was completely real._

_"So, this is him?" the oldest asked his mom._

_"Yes, dear." Mrs. Weasley said shortly. She turned back to Lily. "You'll have to excuse Bill," she said. "He doesn't really have a sense of restraint when it comes to anything."_

_"No, no," Lily giggled. "It is fine. We've actually met people who wanted his autograph."_

_"And bloody mad people they were," Sirius added on._

_"Might as well run around with only half a brain," Remus agreed, bending down to ruffle Harry's hair to cover the scar again._

_"Well, we must get together sometime outside of a book shop! And Remus here says you were born to a muggle family?"_

_"Yes," Lily confirmed._

_"Arthur will be _delighted_!" she smiled. "He is just _fascinated_ by muggle technologies."_

_Lily smiled, shifting her weight onto her left leg. For once, Sirius wasn't lying when he said it was someone she would want to meet. _

She smiled at the memory. That was on August twenty-sixth, and since then they had gotten together around fifteen times. Ron and Harry were fast friends, and neither of them was ever happy when it came time to leave. Ginny and Katherine were perhaps the loudest when it came to parting, though no one knew why.

Sirius and Lupin were always attacked by the four year old twins, Fred and George, and begged to tell them stories of their pranks performed at Hogwarts. Bill was usually near Ron and Harry, watching Harry with wide eyes, as if he was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. Charlie and Percy were usually playing together, though Percy was always strict with 'play'.

"Happy Christmas!" Sirius and Lupin cried together as Lily entered the kitchen. They both leapt to their feet, Sirius giving her a quick peck on the forehead while wrapping an arm her shoulders. Remus, who was holding Harry, gave her a quick one-armed hug.

"Mummy!" Harry cried, reaching for her. Sirius took Katherine from her, cradling her as Lily took Harry.

"Happy Christmas, Harry," she grinned, pecking him on the nose.

"Happy Christmas!" he smiled widely. "Is Daddy home yet?"

Sirius' chest tightened and he had to sit down, as did the others. Lily's eyes swam in tears as she shook her head ruefully. "No," she sniffed, "Daddy isn't coming home."

"Where is he?" He asked worriedly.

"He's in a 'better place'," Sirius growled bitterly.

"'Better'?" Harry repeated. "Then why don't we join him?"

"Oh, Harry," Lupin shook his head woefully; "you don't want to join your father."

"Why not?" He asked defiantly.

"When we say 'better' we mean it's only better for him." Lily explained.

"Oh."

Finally, Katherine stirred and began crying. The mood was nearly ruined, but of course the word 'presents' brought Harry back to his senses, along with a very excited Sirius.

"Come on!" He called over excitedly to Harry, waving him into the living room. Harry ran into the other room, sitting on the chair. Yesterday, they had gone over the rules of Christmas: sit in a chair and wait to be handed his presents.

Each time he was handed on he jumped up and down excitedly.

By that night, he had eight muggle appliances from his mom, a play wand and broom from Lupin, and candies from Sirius.

He also had a story book that was sent by the Weasleys'.

____

_This is a picture perfect Christmas_,

Lily thought to herself as Sirius tossed her a present, _____but its only picture perfect. It could only be perfect if James were here. _

She unwrapped a maroon sweater from Remus, and closed her eyes tightly.

____

_Oh James, why did you leave us?_

_____

* * *

_

**Gahhh; I don't know if this whole chapter is going to come out in italics, and if it does, sorry! **

**Anywho; review. (: **


	3. Katharine's Surprise

**I wanted to add a twist... : D **

**And the twist will definitely make sense as the story progresses. **

**Andddd, oh yeah, by the way. This is chapter three. ;D **

**Hum. What else. **

**OH. I'm kind of in a writing mood, so I might get chapter four up tonight or tomorrow, maybe even chapter cinco.**

**As I'm typing this I'm really tired, so if you find a mistake, I apologize. **

**Marching band kills you. **

**Not literally. **

**But nearly. **

**Anywho. **

**Yeah. **

**OH: And I remembered: **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. I _do_ however own Katharine, the plot line, and anything else that doesn't look familiar. (: **

* * *

"Arthur," Molly Weasley scolded her husband, "find a number and stay with that number!"

"Channel," Lily corrected, smiling as Mr. Weasley went through the channels on the television in her house.

It was Katherine's birthday today so the Weasleys had come over to celebrate.

"See, dear? She doesn't seem to mind." He said, flipping to another channel.

Meanwhile, the twins were begging Sirius and Lupin for a story. "Pleeeeeease?" George pouted, tightening his fists around Sirius' denim jeans.

"Yeah," Fred agreed, latching himself on to Lupin, "pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

"Alright, alright," Sirius agreed. "In fifth year," he started, launching into the story.

Fred and George listened, eyes widening at certain parts. Occasionally, Percy would interrupt, stating how something they had done was not very nice, or asking if they had gotten punishment.

"What happened after you hexed the Slytherin?" George asked, bouncing with excitement.

"Well, of course ol' Moony here put a stop to us. Powerful prefect and all," Sirius sneered, jabbing Remus in the side with his elbow.

"But you're lucky I fixed his memory so he had no idea what in Merlin's name had happened when he woke up," he countered, smirking at his friend.

"Wow," the twins said in unison. "Will you teach _us_ how to hex others?"

"Ahh," Sirius laughed loudly. "Now, now, boys. You'll learn over time."

"And hopefully put it to better use than we ever did," Lupin added on.

"We were never _that_ bad!"

"Says the man who put a completely innocent first year Hufflepuff with dear old Poppy for a solid two weeks," he shot back, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, yes. Tanya Williams." Sirius smiled, thinking about the brunette that had been best friends with a Slytherin. Not just any Slytherin, but Jonathan Doran, one of the Slytherins the four Maruders had despised most. "Well, she learned her lesson, and never found out it had been myself," he grinned.

"Obviously she hadn't, otherwise I doubt she would've given you the time of her day, or gone out with you. One of the only two you dated that were not in the Gryffindor house," Remus shook his head disapprovingly.

"Ah, come off it. I rather enjoyed dating that Ravenclaw."

"Right. How did this become a story about your dating ways?"

"You brought it up!" Sirius accused, pointing a finger at Lupin.

"And now I'll change the subject," he explained, only to have Harry and Ron charge into the room, aiming for the back of the two grown men's knees.

"Argh!" The both cried as they fell to the floor. Harry and Ron giggled wildly, while Bill sauntered up to the two boys to give them high-fives.

"It _did_ work!" Ron cried happily, running back out of the room before the two men could manage to get to their feet again. Harry and Bill followed in suit, running towards where Charlie hid, waiting for them.

"Get back here, you little tricksters!" Remus chuckled lightly before charging after them.

Lily shook her head slightly as she watched her daughter and Ginny watch the boys run around crazily.

* * *

"I want to go to Hogwarts, too!" Charlie, now nine years old, whined.

They were all waiting outside the train station, seeing as Bill had received his Hogwarts letter recently.

Lily, Harry, Katharine, Sirius, and Lupin had grown incredibly close to the large family, and when Bill asked if they would come to see him off, they agreed without any complaints.

Harry adored Bill, in a non-creepy way. He looked up to him, almost, but they well may be that was because Bill had taught him and Ron tricks to pull over on others. Mrs. Weasley, while nearly tearing up at the prospect of her oldest son finally starting Hogwarts, was almost _relieved_ he was leaving, meaning Harry and Ron would have no one to tell them who to attack and such.

"And you have your owl?" she double checked. After much arguing and debating, she had relented into letting Lily buying her eldest son an owl for his first year at Hogwarts. It was a small tawny owl, only small because of its age.

"No, mum," Bill rolled his eyes sarcastically. "I'm only carrying a five pound cage with a cover on top of it for the fun of it."

"Then where is—Right," Molly nodded, picking up on the sarcasm. Barely.

"Molly, dear, he'll be fine." Arthur told her reassuringly before ruffling his son's hair. "You'll write every chance you get, right?"

"Of course," Bill nodded, heaving his trunk out of the car that Sirius had insisted they drive(having just gotten a license; he was having too much fun driving a car). He headed into Kings Cross, his trunk lagging behind him and the others followed closely. Once at the correct platform, they all ran through, one at a time, coming out on the other side to the view of the Hogwarts Express.

Sirius looked around and sighed. "So many good and bad memories started here and ended here."

Lily and Lupin nodded in agreement while the others said good-bye to Bill. Finally, Lily realized she had yet to say good-bye. "Bill!" She called as he just started for the train. He turned to see her walking over to him and crouching down in front of him. "You'll have to write to me, as well, alright? Harry'll want to know about Hogwarts, and it'd make him happy if he heard from you," she explained as she wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug. All of the Weasleys' had become like her family now, and it felt as if it were her eldest son heading off for Hogwarts.

"Alright," Bill smirked, returning her hug briefly. "Good-bye, Mrs. Potter."

"Bye," she smiled, retreating towards the others. Once Bill had boarded the train, they stood and watched until it was out of sight, and then returned to their home.

* * *

"Merlin!" Lily awoke to Sirius cursing. She looked over at where Katharine's crib sat and noticed that she wasn't in it. Deciding to go see what had Sirius so surprised, she got up and through on a robe before descending the steps towards the kitchen.

"Sirius, what is it?" She groaned in annoyance.

Lupin looked up from where he was sitting, a shocked expression on his face. Sirius turned towards her slowly. "Kathie was crying this morning, so I decided I'd let you sleep and take care of her. As I was playing with her, she… She changed!" he explained dumbly.

"What do you mean changed?" Lily asked irritably, shoving her two best friends aside to look at her daughter. She, however, snapped away when she saw Katharine. "What did you two do?" She demanded, picking her daughter up and combing her fingers through her hair. Her _different_ hair. Yesterday, she had black hair, much like Harry and James', but today it was _orange_.

"Nothing!" The two men chimed together. "It just… _Changed_!"

Lily thought. "But metamorphmagus start changing their appearance immediately, right? So she couldn't be that," she thought out loud.

"Actually, it is possible," Remus explained. "Just because she didn't change before doesn't mean she isn't one now. Maybe she just didn't know how to."

"It's a second nature to them, though," Lily countered.

Lupin shrugged. "Maybe she didn't want to? Unless you think she's come down with a sickness that changes her hair to orange and purple?" he suggested, and when Lily looked back down at her daughter, she saw that there were now also purple highlights in her hair.

"Merlin!" she cried, now noticing that her eyes were also emerald green like hers. "No, no," she whimpered. "Go back to your daddy's eyes, please," she pleaded helplessly. But in fact, it wasn't helpless. Within seconds her eyes were the exact hazel color James' eyes had been, and Lily breathed out.

"So you have a metamorphmagus as a daughter," Sirius stated bluntly. "This could get interesting."

"Shut it," she snapped, hoping for her hair to return to normal soon, but instead it turned ginger, much like her own, and Katharine smiled contentedly, as if that's what she had wanted all along. "Oh dear. I wonder what kind of trouble she'll get herself into when she is older."

"I can't wait to see," Sirius admitted, practically bouncing with excitement. "She'll be able to get away with practically anything. She can disguise herself as a third year and sneak out to Hogsmeade, she can look like a teacher and take points away from Slytherin, she can—"

"Sirius, please just stop. I'm not interested in anything she could do with this until the time comes," Lily told him, shaking her head.

_And just when I thought life was getting a wee bit easier. _

* * *

**So, a bit short. **

**But, I'm kind of getting lazy with the pre-Hogwarts chapters to be honest. I may skip a few years. Next chapter, I think I may have the year before they start Hogwarts, because I honestly don't know what else to do for the pre-chapters anymore. D: **

**Review and tell me if you have any suggestions for those years. If not, I'm skipping. xDD **

**... **

**You should review even if you don't have any suggestions, by the way. ;D **


	4. Dreaming

**This is a somewhat unecventful chapter, but it shows the past. **

**I guess it is really boring in a way, butttt, look on the bright side, Harry and Ron start Hogwarts next chapter! Whoooo~ **

**Uhm, yeah. /: **

**Sorry for the suckiness of ittt. **

**Disclaimer: Whenever you see something that doesn't look familiar, it belongs to me. **

* * *

"When do we get to go?" a very frustrated Harry asked his mother, watching the Hogwarts express chug off. This year it carried Charlie, in his final year, Percy, in his fourth year, and Fred and George in their second year.

"Next year, sweetie," Lily sighed, ruffling Harry's hair.

"And us?" Katharine asked, holding Ginny's hand. The two had grown nearly inseparable, even resulting in Lily and the others to relocate to a house nearer the Burrow.

"You'll be going in two years," Lupin grinned. Katharine grinned back and took his hand in her other, gripping it tightly. While Sirius had become Harry's favorite of the two, Lupin was by far her favorite. Not to say her and Sirius didn't get along, but Lupin adored her completely, and she had simply grown attached to him.

"That's a scary thought," Molly Weasley muttered under her breath, ushering the eight others back through the wall. She followed them quickly and they headed back to the Burrow.

While Molly and Lily prepared lunch, the subject of Ron and Ginny starting Hogwarts came up.

"Please let me buy them just one. Whatever they'd like. My treat." Lily pleaded, facing Molly.

"You've already done enough!" she complained, flicking her wand at the spoon in the mixing bowl, causing it to stir by itself.

"But it wouldn't be fair to them if all the others got one and they didn't!"

"You've gotten Bill, Charlie, and Percy an owl, Fred a toad, and George a cat. You know that Ron would want an owl and Ginny a cat," she sighed.

"Just like Harry would want an owl and Katharine a cat," Lily huffed, noticing that she wasn't winning the argument.

"So spend your money on their owl and cat."

"Have you not noticed I have more than enough money, and I'm only gaining more? Especially since the house sold, and we built another, rather than buying one. You helped us build the house, that only credits you to some of the galleons we'd received from selling the other home. Therefore, you are technically buying them their pets," Lily smiled triumphantly.

Molly looked lost in thought until finally, she sighed and nodded in agreement. "Very well, but after this, your payment for the house is up," she resented.

"Yay!" Lily cheered happily. She had known Ginny had wanted a cat since George had brought Nook, his tabby cat, home. And Ron had expressed interest in an owl for quite awhile, as well. She couldn't help the grin that stretched across her face as she hugged her close friend before venturing outside to watch the kids kicking around a muggle ball, laughing happily.

* * *

"_Lily!" James called to Lily who was on her way to Potions. Instead of turning around, she continued forward, not ever daring to almost look towards Potter. When she heard the sound of rushing footsteps, and felt a presence besides her, she sighed. _

"_What do you want now, Potter?" she asked irritably, still not looking towards him. _

"_Just wanted to give you these," he explained, holding out four roses. "I'll love you until the last one dies," he told her honestly, though she hadn't a clue that it actually _was_ honest. _

_She took the roses and shoved them into a pocket of her bag, finally turning towards him. His face looked hopeful, as if her accepting the roses was a good sign. "Come off it," she rolled her eyes. "I only took them so I can watch them die and revel in the moment when they're shriveled on my bedside table." _

_His face fell slightly, but he didn't look too deterred. "Good-bye, Lily Evans," he whispered close to her ear, a smirk playing on his lips before rushing to Transfiguration. _

_Lily couldn't help but shiver as his warm breath tickled her neck, and couldn't help but wish it would linger there for just even a moment longer. _

_Now, Lily was sitting under a tree near the lake, watching the giant squid but also reading. When she heard footsteps approaching, she looked up. _

"_What now?" She sighed, closing her book as James Potter sat cross-legged next to her. _

"_I heard you were in a bad mood," he explained cautiously. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright." _

_Lily's mouth opened to shoot back a snide comment, but she couldn't find one. He was being genuine. "I'm fine," she managed to choke out. _

_In reality, she wasn't. Her and Severus had gotten in a fight, which led to her and Alice getting in a fight, which led to her and Angelina getting into a fight, which led to her and Mary getting into a fight, which led to an unhappy Lily. She was in a fight with every single one of her good friends. _

"_That's not the way Remus describes it," he frowned, reaching a hand over to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "Apparently you were crying a bit earlier," he explained, running a tentative finger under her eyes, softly touching the swollen red skin. _

"_Why are you here?" She asked, her eyes closed with the gentle feel of his fingers on her face. _

"_Because no matter how strong you try to act, you're still just human. You still need comfort," he murmured, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a friendly way, squeezing her upper arm with his hand. She melted into his side and let silent tears fall. _

_Next, she was alone in the common room. Everyone else had gone to the quidditch match, but seeing as Potter had named her his 'good luck charm', she refused to go. She didn't care that they had only lost the one game that she hadn't gone to, they were good enough as it was, including James, who was pretty amazing at quidditch. _

_Suddenly, the portrait hole swung open with a frantic looking Remus Lupin. He ran up to the room that he and the other Maruders shared, and within a minute he was back down the steps. _

"_Remus?" Lily called cautiously. His head whipped around, and he relaxed slightly when he saw it was Lily. _

"_I think you need to come with me," he told her, saying nothing more before he rushed out of the portrait hole, leaving Lily to sprint after him. _

"_Remus!" She growled, after reaching him as he turned the corner. "Where are we going?" _

"_You'll see." He shoved a blue-silver looking cloak into his back pocket before running into Madam Pomfrey's room, hurrying to the last bed. What Lily saw made her heart stop beating. Why, though, she wasn't entirely sure. _

_There lay James Potter, crumpled and broken, blood stains on his robes and face and crusting his hair. _

"_What happened?" She gasped, slowly making her way over to his body. _

"_A bludger hit him as he flew over the stands," another voice said. Lily recognized it as Sirius Black. "He fell off his broom, hit the overhang, and then slid all the way down, hitting each bump in the wall on his fall down to the rocks."_

"_Oh, no," she whispered, her hand covering her mouth. She couldn't believe it. And without her consent, the tears started dripping from her eyes. _

_Four weeks later, James finally could stand on his own, and made it back to his classes. Although Lily had promised to speak with Severus that day, she stood by James, talking to him about nothing in particular. _

"_Lily!" Snape called from across the room, and she turned to look at him slightly, and shook her head sideways, telling him that she wansn't coming over. She had an apologetic smile on her face, however, but either he didn't care, or he hadn't seen it. "Mudblood!" He snapped, causing the red head to freeze. He had just called her a _mudblood_, and she, for one, was not anywhere near 'okay' with that. Without another word she stood up and ran out of her class, James following after her after shooting a body bind spell at Snape, and instructing Sirius to perform the worst hex he could possibly think of on the greasy-haired git. _

"_Lily!" James called, running after her, down the hall and into the Gryffindor common room. Checking to make sure that no one else was there, he changed into the stag that he had recently learned how to change into, and charged up the steps to the girls dormitories. Once he reached Lily's room, he nudged the door open with his antler, and changed back, too slowly for her to not see. _

"_You're a-an an-ani-anim-animan-g-gus," she said through her tears. He hated seeing her that way, it broke his heart, but he had to comfort her, now. _

"_Yes, I'm an 'an-ani-anim-animan-g-gus,'" he smirked, stepping towards her slowly. "An unregistered one at that, and if you tell, I can guarantee there will be quite a few unhappy animals." _

"_How?" She choked out, hoping to get her mind off of the insult she had just received from her best friend. _

"_Sirius, Peter and I are all animangus," he explained. "It took us two to four years to figure it out but it worked." _

"_What about Remus?" _

"_Remus is the reason we _became_ animangus." _

"_What is that reason?" She asked, now clearly intrigued. _

"_Lily, I swear, if anything I say right now leaves the justice of your beautiful lips, I can promise that there _will_ be unhappy animals." _

_Lily nodded, letting the 'beautiful lips' comment slide. "I solemnly swear," she promised. _

_James smirked, obviously thinking about some inside joke and muttered something about being up to no good under his breath. _

"_Remus Lupin, well, _is_ a lupine. Have you ever heard us four use nicknames?" _

_Lily nodded. "Prongs," she murmured, when it finally clicked. "_Prongs_!" She exclaimed, finally understanding. "Black is Padfoot," she said. _

"_Sirius' animangus is a large black dog." He filled in. _

"_Peter is Wormtail," she said then thought. "Ew," she muttered, scrunching up her nose. "Rat?" _

"_Exactly," James smiled. _

"_And Moony," she said finally. He didn't say anything, letting her let everything sink in. "Oh!" She finally exclaimed after a few minutes. "Moon, lupine, he's a werewolf!" _

"_And, give the lady a prize," he nodded. _

"_Oh, wow," she muttered, reveling in all she just learned. "Is that why you all disappear at the full moon?" _

"_Yes," James nodded again. _

"_Oh." And now that she had nothing to distract her mind with, the events from Defense Against Dark Arts came rushing back to her. "Ugh!" She screeched, punching a pillow. James flinched slightly but stayed where he was. "Sorry," she muttered. "I just can't believe he said that." _

_He nodded, pulling Lily on to his lap and murmuring comforting words to her, occasionally kissing her hairline as she sobbed into his chest. _

_One week later, as she ran from her old best friend, Severus, she rounded a corner, straight into Potter. As he heard the complain coming from Snape, who was just right around the corner, he cursed. "Follow me," he murmured, grabbing her hand and dragging her down the hall and around the corner, just as Severus rounded the other. _

"_Lily, please, wait!" he called, now picking up his pace. _

"_Dissendium!" James muttered, while tapping a statue of a witch. "Come on," he said softly, pulling her in the opening with him. _

_The witch reassembled and hid the two as a very persistent Slytherin chased past. _

_About two minutes later, James exhaled loudly. "I think were good." _

_Lily nodded in agreement before setting off down the passage way, only to be stopped by Potter. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked her in a puzzled voice. _

"_Down the tunnel?" _

"_Oh, you'd like to take a trip to Hogsmeade in the middle of a school day, go right ahead," he chuckled slightly. _

"Hogsmeade_?" _

_James nodded before stepping out of the passage and into the hall again, offering Lily a hand which she refused. _

"_Thanks," she nodded, "he's bloody persistent. I owe you." _

_James shrugged, before a smug smile split across his face. "It seems you do owe me," he grinned. Lily's face froze as she realized what she just opened herself up to. _

"_What do you want, Potter?" _

_He then smiled sadly, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes. "For you to call me James from now on." _

_It was so simple of a request, one of which she was certainly not expecting. She nodded slowly, her breath accelerating as he leant down to place a quick kiss on her hairline. Within seconds, she was left standing alone, wishing that he was still standing close to her. _

_Now, Lily was alone in the common room, studying at around one in the morning. She hadn't had the chance to study earlier after discussing her feelings with Alice, and realizing that she truly did love James Potter. _

_She sat cross-legged on the couch, her Potions book in her lap. She didn't even notice a messy black haired boy with hazel eyes and glasses take a seat next to her. So, when she looked up, to say she was surprised was an understatement. _

"_Whoa!" She gasped, her hand flying to her heart. "When did you get there?" _

"_Almost five minutes ago," he told her, his voice a soft and velvety yet raspy at the same time. He was obviously tired. "Why are you up so late?" _

"_Studying," she sighed, looking back down at her textbook. James nodded, taking her book from her. "What are you doing?" She asked, reaching to take the book back. _

"_I'm going to quiz you." _

_Lily sighed but took the book back anyways and shut it. "Why did you come down here?" _

"_I had a nightmare. Whenever that happens I come down here to think." He explained. "This one was one of the worst I've ever had." _

_She exhaled, placing her hand on his knee and turning to look at his face. His eyes held unshed tears and she realized how torn up he really looked. "What happened?" _

_Softly, James muttered something inaudible, his face flushing and his eyes shining with more tears. Lily asked him to repeat himself, and he complied. "Someone killed you and, well, our—our son. I hadn't realized that it was simply a dream until I came down here and saw you. I was so relieved. I just thought of losing you, even if you were never mine, I can't think of a world without you." _

_Lily simply started at the boy infront of her through heavy-lidded eyes, she was growing tired, but she was still enough awake to understand every single word he had uttered. _

_Then, without even a single thought, Lily Evans reached a hand over, cupping James' chin, and pulled his face closer to hers before placing a kiss on to his firm but gentle lips. Immediately, they both lost themselves in the kiss, and it was quite a while before they broke apart, though their foreheads were still resting against the others. _

"_James?" Lily whispered hoarsely, her breathing ragged. _

"_Hmm?" _

"_I was thinking…" she started, exhaling slowly, stalling. After two minutes of silence James opened his eyes, finding hers open, as well. _

"_What were you thinking?" he prompted her, placing a hand on her waist and pulling her slightly closer to him. _

_Swiftly, she swooped her mouth back down to his and left them there for a few lingering seconds before pulling away. "And I—I realized how I feel." She told him with newfound confidence. "And I love you." _

_Both of the two stopped breathing until James finally broke the silence. "As I love you," he grinned, taking her face in his two large hands and bringing her mouth to his. _

"James," Sirius heard Lily mumble in her sleep. He wasn't sure if he should wake her up before it turned into a nightmare, but his question was soon answered.

"James! _James_!" Lily cried, hugging the pillow tighter to her chest.

_It had been two months since they started going out, and it was time for a Defense Against Dark Arts exam, in which James and Severus were paired up. _

"_Sectumsempra," Severus cried with a side long glance at Lily. _

_James fell to the floor, blood seeping from his chest. Lily, too shocked to move yet, stood and stared at the man she loved, bleeding to death before her eyes. She snapped out of her trance and ran over to James, sobbing. "James! James, get _up_!" she pleaded, waving the teacher over to mend him. "James," she pleaded when the blood didn't stop. _

Lily was shaken awake by Sirius, and she felt the back of her neck covered in cold sweat, along with wet tears running down her cheeks.

"It's okay," he murmured, hugging the sobbing red-head. He rested his nose on top of her head, stroking her hair slowly. "It's alright, Lily."

"No," she shook her head, sniffling. "It's not. James tried to show me for years how he felt and all I did was pushed him away. I didn't get to spend as much time with him as I could have. I could've been with him since second year. The first time he asked me out. But I listened to Severus, rather than all my friends. Sure, I didn't like him, but I was going to give him a chance. I lost out on five years of being able to hold him. I lost out on five years of him."

"No, you didn't, love. Jamesie always loved you. You just lost out on five years of loving him. And, besides, do you think you'd have any stories to tell your kids had you and James gotten together immediately?"

"I suppose not," Lily nodded, standing up to quickly put on a robe and heading down the steps.

Harry and Ron were already up and awake, watching the television, as were Ginny and Katharine.

"Hi, mum!" Katharine greeted, jumping up to hug her. Ginny followed suit, having grown incredibly close to Lily in the past years.

"'Ello," the boys called, not bothering to avert their eyes from the screen.

"Morning," Lily smiled, wiping the last of her tears away. She turned to her daughter and Ginny. "Would you like to hear some stories about your father?"

Both girls eyes lit up. Katharine had created a locket with her father's picture in it, and would often wake up, claiming to have seen him. When this first happened, at age five, Lily had asked her to show her what her father looked like by using her power to change her looks. Within seconds, a near perfect looking image of James was before her, and she had tears in her eyes.

"Yes!" They chorused, running into the kitchen to take a seat at the table. Lily followed and launched into the stories from her dream, not missing a single detail.

* * *

**Ahkay, so, you should really review. **

**Reviews make me happy, and happiness makes me want to write... Sooooo, review, porfavor. (: **


	5. IDHANFTC

**Okay, so, some of the pairing in this story will change. There maybe a bit of Ron/Hermione, but I've decided to pair them both with other people. Also, I've had an idea for Sirius' love life. Maybe Lily's. I've had an idea since I first thought of this story, but I'm not too sure I want to go through with it. I'm debating it. **

**Alsooooooooo; this chapter is a bit... Blah. **

**And I didn't go crazy with detail. **

**Why, you may ask? **

**Well, you see, I had a nice chapter typed up, you see, and then what happens? My user account on this computer crashes. _ONLY_ mine. My dad's, mom's, and brother's was perfectly fine, but not mine! Nope! I couldn't even open Word for a while! Or anything else! **

**I managed to print some out, but it only printed a page. So up until Remus speaks to Harry, that was written. After? Nope. I wrote it todayyy. Well, and last night, BUT YOU GET IT. **

**Hum, what else? **

**OH! Not that you care, but I got these awesome blue and purple plaid converse that I'm in love with. **

**And a peace sign necklace. **

**... And I should probably stop rambling. **

**DON'T BLAME ME, BLAME BAND. **

**Anywhoooo~ **

**Oh, and I don't have practice tomorrow, so I should be able to write. **

**And plus I'm still really in the mood for writing so I'll write now, too! **

**I'm typing incredibly fast, too, so that's a good thing. But I should REALLY stop wasting my fast typing on this... **

**Disclaimer: If you don't recognize something, its mine. **

* * *

Dragging his trunk behind him, Harry wandered into King's Cross, eager to start his first year at Hogwarts. Ron walked next to him while Ginny and Katharine took up his other side. His mom was behind him, as were Ron's parents, and also Charlie, who was getting ready to leave in three days for Romania to start a job involving dragons. It was no surprise to anyone that Mrs. Weasley nearly had a heart attack when Charlie dealt out this piece of information.

But now, with Fred, George, and Percy infront of him, leading him to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, he couldn't remember anything that had happened recently: he was far too excited.

"You'll write me all the time, right?" Katharine asked once they had reached the platform. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, standing on her very tiptoes, and even then Harry had to lift her weight off the ground.

"Of course I will," he grinned, setting her back on the ground. He turned to Ginny, then, who flushed the color of her hair when he smirked at her. "Aren't you going to say good-bye?"

She nodded slightly, waving and murmuring a farewell. He wasn't satisfied by her shy wave, and within seconds he was hugging her tightly, and eventually, her arms wrapped around his waist, and she had a small smile upon her mouth. "I'm going to miss you, Harry," she admitted, pulling away. "Most likely more than I'll miss the others."

"Hey!" Ron, Fred, and George shouted. Percy had already boarded the train, however.

"Aw, really?" Harry chuckled. "Even more than your best brother Percy?"

"Oh, it was a hard choice between you two. You narrowly beat him," she smiled. "But seriously. I'm going to miss you."

"I know," Harry grinned smugly. "You've got to write me as well, you know that, right?"

"Of course," she nodded, a blush creeping towards her cheeks again.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley claimed him next, wishing him well and hugging him tightly.

Suddenly, two older men, and a younger looking witch, probably a first year, came bursting through the wall, then, panting. The girl, however, simply looked at them and thanked them.

"Thank you, very much," she smiled, her front teeth sticking out further than they did on most people.

"Anytime, Miss Granger," Sirius smiled down at her, and then leading her towards Harry and Ron. "Harry, Ronaly, this is Hermione. She is a muggleborn first year."

"'Ello," Ron nodded, grabbing his snowy owl's cage.

Harry simply nodded at her before turning to Sirius and Remus. "You made it."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, mate," Remus grinned, ruffling the boy's hair. "First year at Hogwarts!"

"You're going to have a blast," Sirius nodded, throwing his arms around his godson. "And you're going to run out of parchment and ink because you've been writing us so much and have to borrow someone else's to write us a letter to send us more. Correct?"

"If you say so," Harry rolled his eyes.

Sirius nodded. "I do. In fact, I just did. And what I say goes."

"Come off it," Lily laughed, shoving her best friend's shoulder lightly. "Harry, I swear, if you don't come and hug me this second we're going to have a bit of a problem."

Harry laughed lightly before taking two steps towards his mother and throwing his arms around her back. "I'm going to miss you," he admitted, not too reluctantly. His mother was one of his best friends. They rarely fought. Maybe once or twice every few months or year, and even then it would only be telling him to clean up his mess.

"You too," Lily managed to get out, refraining herself from crying. She looked around and then paused. "Katharine?" she called out. A girl who looked to be the age of eighteen or older emerged from behind Remus, black hair flowing down to the middle of her back.

"Yes?"

"Stop doing that!" her mom sighed. "Say good-bye to your brother. He's got to go."

Within the blink of an eye, Katharine was back to looking ten years old with auburn hair and hazel eyes. "Good-bye, Harry," she smiled, kissing him on the cheek.

Lily followed her son towards the door of the train, rambling on about how if she didn't get a letter in the first week she would send a howler, and he wouldn't want that. He quickly agreed to write as soon as possible, and that his owl, Hedwig, would be visiting them soon.

The bushy-haired brunette, Hermione, followed them onto the train and into an open compartment, not saying a word.

"D'you talk?" Ron finally asked once they were settled in. The girl nodded, and then, as if she realized it wasn't helping her case, she opened her mouth to speak.

"It's just weird being here. I never knew what was wrong with me until a few weeks ago. Setting someone's arm on fire isn't incredibly normal around where I come from."

Harry and Ron nodded, understanding what she had meant. Lily had preferred for them to grow up in a muggle world, and for them not to interact with wizards, much. They did, however know Neville Longbottom, who's mother had been one of Lily's best friends during her time at Hogwarts.

"Anyways," she continued. "Did you guys read any of the books? I've finished them all, but I've only gotten to reread two of them. D'you reckon the professors will be angry?"

Ron froze, and then turned to Harry. "I liked it better when she didn't talk."

Hermione, obviously hearing the whispered words, looked offended when Harry decided to jump in. "Ignore Ron, he can be a prat at times. But, no, I've not really done more than read random chapters from every book."

"Oh," she sighed dejectedly. "Well, at least I'll be prepared. More so than you two, anyways." Both boys opened their mouths to speak, but she beat them to it. "So've you ridden a broom? I'm quite scared to. I mean, it should be easy, I'd assumer, but I'm quite scared to fall off."

"I've not ridden one," Harry explained, "Ron has. But my mother is strict about it. She didn't think I was ready. Something about my father, I think," he murmured, pain flashing in his eyes at the mention of his dad.

"Who is your father?"

"James Potter. He died a year after I was born."

"So you're Harry Potter!" she exclaimed, jumping out of her seat.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You're muggleborn. How do you know about me?"

"I did research. You're mentioned. You-Know-Who is mentioned in a few books, one being this book," she said, holding up a copy of _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_.

"So it's _not_ only your family who calls Voldemort 'You-Know-Who.'" Harry scowled at Ron. "Mom really should have conversed me with more than just your family and Neville."

"Speaking of Neville, where is he?" Ron asked, turning away from Hermione, who now felt incredibly unimportant, something she didn't particularly like. Not that she was full of herself or anything, but being a muggleborn on a train full of mostly pureblooded wizards made her feel as if she needed to prove herself more.

Before she could interrupt, however, a round faced boy burst through the door. "Harry! Ron! Have you seen Trevor?"

"No, sorry, mate," Harry and Ron shook their head at their forgetful friend.

"I'll help you look," Hermione piped up. "We're nearly there and I'm already in my robes."

"Thanks," Neville nodded before rushing off.

Once Hermione disappeared through the door, Ron turned to Harry. "Think she's a bit wrong in the head?"

"She isn't too horribly bad," Harry shrugged, "just… A _bit_ wrong in the head."

Within the matter of a few minutes, they were leaving the train, heading towards Hagrid, someone that Sirius got along with quite well, ever since he had turned up to save Harry, though it hadn't been necessary. He and Harry had met a few times, and they had gotten along well.

"Firs' years!" He bellowed out, waving his too large of arms around. "Firs' years over 'ere! Ah! Harry! How've yeh bin? Hurry along, now," he chided, motioning to the boats. "Yeh'll see Hogwarts soon enough, I promise yeh," he promised all the first years as they boarded the smaller boats. Harry and Ron were in a boat with a blindingly blonde haired boy and two others.

"So it is true," the blond said, eyes glued to Harry's scar. "Harry Potter."

"Yes, that is me," Harry confirmed, noticing the sour look on Ron's face. "Who are you, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Draco Malfoy," he answered, reaching his hand for Harry's. "If you're as smart as they say you'll realize that my friends and I are the right people to be seen with."

"Sorry," Harry frowned, ignoring the hand outstretched towards him. "I suppose I am not as smart as I'm said to be. I think I know who the right people are."

Draco's face became a scowl within the blink of an eye, his mouth turned down in a frown. "You'll regret this, Potter."

"Don't count on it, Malfoy."

Once they were across the lake, Ron turned towards his friend. "We haven't even entered the school and you've already made an enemy. I'm not sure if that's wonderful or not. Especially considering who that enemy is."

"Who _is_ that enemy? Yeah, Draco Malfoy, but what is so special about him?"

"Remember all those times my father comes home complaining about Lucius? Well, Draco is his son."

"Bloody hell," Harry shook his head. "Looks as if he's got his father's personality, eh?"

"I'd say."

BLAHHHHHHHHHHH.

Katharine sat on the edge of her bed, Ginny's back facing her as she ran a purple brush through her best friend's hair.

"Is it crazy that I already miss them?" Ginny asked slowly, thinking about how she was the only Weasley child left.

"Oh, my Merlin, no!" Katharine heaved, running her fingers through the hair delicately, French braiding the red hair in her hands. "I nearly broke down when Harry's trunk disappeared from my sight. Plus, you also have Bill in Egypt, and Charlie heading off to Romania, and the others at Hogwarts. I guess they're my brothers, too, but not to the extent they are to you. And I know Harry isn't exactly your _brother_," she grinned, ignoring the slap on her leg.

"Shut it. I did not tell you so you could pester me about it every time his name was brought up!" Ginny groaned, agitated.

"You didn't tell me at all! I asked you!"

"And I answered honestly," Ginny said shortly, running a hand over her freshly washed and braided hair.

"C'mon, Gin," Katharine sighed, grabbing both of her friend's hands and pulling her to her feet. "Would you really have kept that from me for long?"

"I kept it from you for a year and a half!"

"Yes, but you were embarrassed. Had you found out that I liked Fred earlier you would've told me."

"I guess," Ginny smiled, throwing herself down on the bed. "I miss them. Harry and Ron have always been here, even when the others weren't. It's so… _different_. And think, this is only day one."

"Don't remind me," Katharine sighed. "I need entertainment."

"Why don't we write them?" Ginny suggested, perking up at the mere thought. "All of them. Well, not so much Percy. Just a short 'we miss you' note from the two of us combined. Everyone else deserves a note from the both of us, separately."

"Brilliant!" she exclaimed, jumping up. "I'm tempted to send Harry a howler for leaving, but I'm certain he wouldn't write back if I did."

After grabbing enough parchment for nine letters, the two set to work on their letters, smiling to themselves.

BLAHHHHHHH.

Harry and Ron had been sorted into Gryffindor, as well as Hermione, though she didn't have as much of a place as the other two.

"Harry!" Fred and George called him over once he was sorted, chanting to the other houses about how they were in the current savior of the wizarding world's house, and he sat next to Hermione, kindly, though he'd prefer not to. It wasn't that she was mean; she was just uptight and seemed strict. Like a mini Percy. _Okay,_ he thought to himself, _that was low. She isn't that bad._

Finally, Albus Dumbledore raised his hands, and with a mischievous glint in his eye, called out, "Let the feast begin."

And so it did. Everyone dug in, piling their plates with as much food as possible. Soon, however, the feast was over and Dumbledore was once again standing in front of them, instructing them on what to do and such, until finally, they were dismissed.

"I couldn't keep up with half the things that man was saying!" Ron exclaimed once they were heading towards the Gryffindor common room. "Forget Hermione, I'm certain _he's_ quite wrong in the head!"

"Who?" Harry wondered. "Dumbledore?"

Ron nodded vigorously while Harry just shrugged.

In a matter of two hours, they two were settled in their beds and drifting into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**SOOOOOOOOO. **

**Review. **

**And, you know? I kind of have over thirty favorites/alerts on this story, so I should really have more than one or two or three reviews per chapter... **

**You KNOW you want to review. **

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**It'll only take a minute... D: **


	6. I Must Be Dreaming

**So, two chapters in one day. I'm so good, aren't I? **

**This is the first chapter I used the book for. When the words start getting familiar, that's where I started. M'mkay? **

**I'm actually going to watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as soon as I'm finished posting this, so this is a short A/N. **

**Also, I saw A LOT of mistakes in my last chapter. x.x Sorry! **

**Disclaimer: Blahblahblah. **

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_Times like these, I wish I was the eldest. I really do. But then I realize that being the eldest would also mean bearing the scar, and having whatever sort of destiny you have. If only we knew. Maybe we will, one day soon! _

_Anyways, I wish I was at Hogwarts with you. It's painfully boring with just Ginny(just kidding, in a way…). We're both so used to having you and Ronald(please tell him I called him Ronald and not Ron, he always know I'm mad at him that way.) around, and now you're not. You're incredibly far away. _

_I'm not a fan of it. _

_I guess I'll be seeing you at Christmas, at least I better be, but until then, I'll have to survive on ink and parchment. _

_And because of that, I'm going to tell you everything that goes on in my life, so you better bloody tell me what goes on in yours. _

_So, here goes: _

_My life is incredibly uneventful. _

_However, mum told me a story about her and dad's fifth year and how she had actually hexed him. Can you imagine? Mum hexing someone! I guess he was being a git, though. He had pulled a prank on mum, he and Sirius, that is, and it hadn't been meant for her. She was still mad about it, though. _

_Do you remember Dad at all? I know he died when you were real young, but do you have any memories of him? Or was that too long ago? _

_I know I've only met him in my dreams, but he seems like my dad. One night I fell asleep crying because Ron and you stole my stuffed hippogriff, and I didn't have it when I fell asleep. He comforted me. _

_Has that ever happened to you? _

_I guess why I'm writing this is because whenever the mention of Dad pops up while speaking our family shies away from it. We've never really talked about how he's not here. There are stories that are told, but we never say how we miss him. _

_I know I can't miss him much, as I've never met him, but I still think it's fair to say I wish I had him. I do in my dreams, but it's not the same. _

_Do you think mum'll ever think about finding someone else? I know it seems crazy, but really. She's just turning thirty-one. Her parents married at _thirty_. And she was born when they were thirty-four. It's still possible. _

_And what about Sirius and Remus? I think Remus has been thinking about finding someone. He's always going out alone, now. But, I guess you knew this. It has only been five days since you left. _

_Maybe I'm putting too much thought into the future. But who wouldn't want to know how their life turns out? _

_I think I'm just trying to make this letter as long as I possibly can, but I'm going to stop, because I have nothing more to say right now, because you didn't write back from my first letter. Granted I sent it two days ago and you have classes. For all I know, Hedwig could be on her way right this second. _

_Oh, well. _

_I miss you. _

_Love, _

_Your sister, _

_Katharine. _

Harry turned away from the parchment and towards the one he had received from Ginny. Sirius had also written him, though Remus and his mother had not. He knew the real reason that Remus was leaving the house alone so often was that he was looking for something to help with his 'problem' during the full moon, though only Harry and Sirius knew. Katharine was closer to Remus than anybody else in the family, apart from Sirius, but the three boys often talked alone.

Harry couldn't see his mother remarrying, let alone finding someone else. After looking through photographs, practically her memories, he realized how the two seemed to have literally been made for each other.

"Oi, mate!" Fred cried as Harry stood up from his seat, bumping into the twin. "Watch where you're going!"

"Sorry, Fred," Harry apologized, knocking Fred into Hermione who was lurched forward at the collision, her fork jabbing further into her mouth than it already was.

"Ouch!" she hissed in pain, feeling the tickling sensation as the roof of her mouth bled.

"Ah! Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, looking at her. "I'm sorry! Here, I'll take you to Madam Pomfrey," he offered, reaching to help her.

"Nah," Hermione shook her head. "You theem tah be in a huwwy. Bethides, you'hve done quite enough," she slurred, not once letting her tongue touch the roof of her bleeding mouth. Her eyes were averted to look at her chin, which was held high, as if she were trying to see the inside of her mouth.

"I'll take her, alright?" Fred sighed, "You go do whatever you were running—literally—off to do."

"Thanks," Harry nodded before rushing up to his dormitory. He had enough time to write to at least three people seeing as he left breakfast early, and he set off.

He decided on writing to his mother, Sirius, and Remus, knowing that it would take longer to reply to Katharine, and if one of the girls got a note and the other did not, it would not be a pleasant time.

_Dear Mum,_ Harry started.

_Sorry I'm just writing. I've had a hard first week. It turns out my Potions teacher isn't a fan of me, it seems. _

_His name is Professor Snape. I believe he went to Hogwarts at the same time as you. Maybe a year or two older? _

_Either way, he doesn't seem to like me. _

_Something else that I'm excited for, though, is that we get to ride brooms. You probably don't like the sound of that, knowing that you have some strange fear of them, but, before I ride, I'd like to know why you have that fear. Could you tell me in your letter? Now, we're riding today, but nonetheless I'd still like to hear this story, alright? _

_Remember that girl we met at the station? The one that Sirius and Remus brought? I hate to say it, but she can be bl—erm, _quite_ annoying. She can be nice, I assume, but when it comes to Ron and I, she just likes to be smart. And I mean that in the 'that's not how that works, this is.' I try to be nice to her, at times, but sometimes I can't help but snap at her. _

_At least I'm doing better than Ron is(don't tell his mum I said that). _

_My roommates are interesting. _

_Neville and Ron are of course with me, and also Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. _

_Well, I best be getting off to class, now. I'll try and write on a weekend next time so it is a bit lengthier, but nevertheless I'll write as much as possible. _

_Love, _

_Harry. _

After finishing the three letters, Harry sent Hedwig off and rushed to his next class, where he would be flying a broom for the very first time.

"Now, on my word, hold your hand over your brooms and say 'Up!'." Madam Hooch called out, looking at the two lines of first years. "Go, now!"

"UP!" Harry shouted, and his broom flew into his hand. Ron, Hermione's, Neville's and Draco's, however, didn't move as far as a centimeter off the ground, and after several attempts, only nine people had summoned their broom into their waiting hands.

Instead of waiting for the others, Madam Hooch taught them how to mount their brooms, and instructed them to take off on the count of three. "One! Two! Th—"

Before she could even get the last number out, Neville's nerves had taken him over and caused him to spazz, slightly, and his broom carried him into the air.

"Longbottom! Lower yourself this instant!" the teacher called to the boy, watching him rise even higher. Finally, the broom started zooming around, and before anyone could blink, Neville was falling towards the ground, and with a sickening '_crack_' he hit the ground. "Oh, Merlin," Hooch sighed. "No one is to fly while I take him to the hospital wing! If you disobey I shall see that you are properly punished!"

Once the two were out of sight, Draco bent over to pick up something round, something that Harry soon recognized to be Neville's Remembrall. "Give it here, Malfoy," Harry said quietly, yet warningly at the same time.

"Nah," the blonde shook his head. "I think I'll help Neville a bit with his memory. He _obviously_ won't remember where he put it, so why not put it somewhere else?"

"Give it, _now_," Harry growled, reaching a hand out and taking a step towards the other boy.

"I don't think I will," he smirked, reaching for his broom and kicking off the ground, shooting into the air. Unlike Neville, Draco had a sturdy hold on his broom, and good control, and he was flying quite well.

Not thinking, Harry reached for the broom he had used and mounted it, kicking off the ground as well.

"D'you think the bloke would think to look in the trees?" Malfoy suggested, earning chants of agreement from below.

"Give it, you git." Harry seethed, flying towards Draco. For having never ridden a broom before, he was nearly as good as Malfoy, if not better. It had come naturally, something he guessed he inherited from his father.

"Catch it if you can!" Draco yelled, obviously having a reason to fly back to the ground. On his way, however, he threw the sphere through the air, and soon it was falling towards the ground again. Harry didn't think, he simply reacted. Flying towards the ball, he tilted the broom towards the ground slightly, diving after it, and at the last second possible that his broom could manage, he pulled out of the dive and back into the air, landing only a few seconds after.

"_HARRY POTTER_!" A voice called, wiping the proud smile off his face and halting all the compliments coming from his house.

"Professor?" He asked kindly, turning to face McGonagall.

"_Never_ in _all_ of the _many_ years that I have been here have I seen such… Such…" She seemed at a loss for words, her jaw clenched with what Harry assumed to be anger. "You could have broken your _neck_, how _dare_ you pull such a stunt!"

"Professor, it wasn't his fault!" Hermione said with a slight lisp, her mouth still obviously bothering her.

"That's enough—"

"But Malfoy-!"

"I _said_ that's enough, Miss Granger." Turning back to Harry, McGonagall turned him to face the school. "Come with me, Potter."

As Harry ducked his head to follow his teacher, he couldn't help but frown at the snickers coming from Malfoy and his two friends, Crabbe and Goyle.

As the professor led him through the corridors, he couldn't help but feel ashamed. Madam Hooch had said it, she had told them not to ride the brooms. He could've simply retrieved it later, or caught it if Malfoy had dropped it, the muggle friends he had always played catch with him, and he was fairly decent.

But soon enough, they were stopped outside Professor Flitwick's classroom, and as she called into him, he didn't miss a word, though it was muffled with her head half in the room and half out.

"Professor Flitwick?" she called, "Would you mind if I borrowed Wood for a few moments?"

_Wood_? Harry thought. What in Merlin's name would she need wood for?

Less than a minute later, though, a tough looking student came out, most likely a fifth or sixth year.

"Professor?" He asked confusedly, looking at Harry.

"Follow me, the two of you," she demanded, leading them to an empty classroom, closing the door behind them. "Potter, this is Oliver Wood, a fifth year Gryffindor. Wood, I've found you a Seeker."

In utter confusion, Harry looked from his teacher to the fifth year, trying to work out where he had heard the word 'seeker' before. Couldn't they see the future or something?

Harry slapped his forehead mentally. That was a _seer_. But how come seeker also sounded incredibly familiar?

Eventually, Wood's once confused face broke out into a large, cheesy grin as he looked at the professor. "Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," she nodded curtly. "This boy is a natural. I've never seen anything like it. That was your first time on a broomstick, correct, Potter? I know your mother. She was never fond of them."

Harry nodded, still trying to work this out in his head.

Professor McGonagall help up the Remembrall for Wood to see. "He caught this in his hand after a fifty-foot dive. Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Finally, it clicked. Charlie Weasley played Quidditch. Seeker was a position in quidditch.

Wood was trying to hide his excitement but failing dismally. "Ever seen a game of quidditch, Potter?" He asked as Harry shook his head. Ron was always talking excitedly about the game, but Harry could never answer as his mum had never let him attend a quidditch game. Seeing as he had no use for the knowledge of the wizarding sport, Harry never felt the need to learn much about it.

"Wood is the captain for the Gryffindor team," McGonagall explained to Harry.

"He's even got the build of one," Wood grinned happily, circling Harry now, taking in his traits. "Light. Speedy," he explained. Then he turned to the professor with a serious look on his face. "We'd need to get him a decent broom. A Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd guess."

McGonagall nodded happily, which surprised Harry greatly. "I'll speak to Dumbledore right away," she smiled—or, what McGonagall could manage in the form of a smile, anyway. "Heaven knows we need a better team than previous years. We were _humiliated_ last year in that match against Slytherin. I shall speak to Dumbledore right now, and make sure we can accommodate to Harry being a first year." Suddenly, she turned to Harry. "You better be training hard, Potter, or I will see Madam Hooch about the punishment you were supposed to receive for breaking these rules."

She headed towards the door, Wood following behind her, but before she exited, she turned to him.

"Your father would be proud of you, Harry," she smiled softly, surprising him by using his first name. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

* * *

Katharine lay in her bed that night, the bunk bed at The Burrow she slept in during the school year, her eyes closed, tear tracks staining her face. She was in a deep sleep, however, she still dreamt.

"_Daddy?" she called out warily, running up the steps of the house she seemed to always come to in her dream. Apparently this was her family's house before Voldemort had attacked them. _

"_Kathie?" a deep voice smiled. She turned around excitedly, running into the outstretched arms of her father. _

"_Daddy!" she smiled, hugging him. "I haven't seen you in so long. I missed you." _

_James laughed slightly. "You should never miss me," he sighed, shaking his head. "I'm always with you. In your heart, I promise I'll always be right there." _

"_I know," she smiled, sitting on the ground and crossing her legs. "It's just gotten so much worse with Harry being gone. Mum is telling me more and more stories about you. Will she ever run out?" _

"_I highly doubt it," he grinned, wrapping an arm around his daughters shoulders. "Some will be romantic, some happy, some sad, some angering, some amusing, and some horrible. I wouldn't mind if you discarded the horrible ones into the back of your mind, you know." _

"_Don't count on it," she grinned. _

"_I should've known. You've got your mother's personality. Fiery." _

_Smiling, Katharine changed her hair into her mothers, and concentrated on forming her mother's face. "More like her than ever, now, am I?" _

_James stifled a gasp. He knew everything about his daughter, he knew her secrets, her favorite stuff, and he knew that she was a metamorphmagus. But he certainly was not expecting her to change into his true love in this dream causing his heart to ache. Though it pained him, he let her stay like that. _

"_You are," he choked out. "Though I found you more beautiful the other way," he told her. _

"_Are you saying mum isn't beautiful?" Katharine gasped, changing back to normal. _

"_What? No! _No_!" He shook his head. "Your mom was the most beautiful women I'd ever met." A small smile rested on his face. "I guess that's the good think about having never met you. I don't have to choose who is more beautiful. Your mom is the most beautiful women I had ever met, and you're the most beautiful women I'd never met." _

_New tears formed in her eyes as she looked at her father. "Daddy…" _

_James' kissed her hair line, hugging her closer to him. "Why couldn't you have lived? Even if it was just so you had gotten to hold me once? It's not _fair_!" She sobbed into his chest, grabbing a fistful of his shirt. _

"_It's alright, Kathie," he murmured into her hair. "Just know that I love you either way." _

"_I know," she managed to smile up at him. "So, how is Harry doing?" _

"_Quite well," he smiled, his grin reaching both ears. "When you write him next, tell him I couldn't be more proud of him. And that I love him." _

"_Daddy?" Katharine asked cautiously. James turned towards her, smiling. "How come only I can dream of you and Mum and Harry can't?" _

_The smile fell off his face at the question. "I'm not sure. My only guess is that I was already dead when you were born, and a part of me was placed in you. There is a part of you that is, well, _me_." _

"_Oh," she nodded, snuggling in closer to his embrace. "I love you." _

"_I love you, too, Kath," he smiled, kissing her hairline before slowly fading. Katharine was left slowly waving at him until he was gone completely. _

* * *

"You're kidding," Ron choked, spewing out food at his best friend's news.

"I'm not," Harry sighed. "But keep it a secret. I'm not called their secret weapon for no reason."

"But… _Seeker_? You're a bloody first year! You must be the youngest player in… In—"

"A century," Harry provided.

"Exactly!"

"Well, I didn't really have a choice. It was either punishment or Quidditch. I'd choose fun over punishment _any_ day."

"So would I, mate," he nodded.

"So, Potter," Malfoy's voice turned up behind the two. "When's the train home boarding?"

"A bit braver now that you're back on the ground with these blokes, eh, Malfoy?" Harry said, not looking at the blonde.

"Would you bet on that, Potter?" he spat.

"I would, actually."

"Alright then, wizard duel, tonight, in the trophy room."

"Fi—" Ron started before Harry cut him off.

"Actually, I believe we were talking about _flying_, not some silly dueling game. When you've got enough confidence about your flying come and find me, alright?" Harry nodded, standing up and leaving the Great Hall, leaving Ron to trail behind him, and Malfoy to stare after him, the slightest hint of confusion upon his face.

* * *

**Yeah... REVIEW PORFAVOR. :D **

**/runs off to watch HPHBP; **


	7. Severus

**Updateeeeeeeeeeeeeee. **

**But, it's not that wonderful. At all. **

**But it is something. x.x **

**But I have bio homework to be completed; BUHBYE. **

* * *

"Merlin!" Lily exclaimed opening the letter she had just received from Harry. She hadn't even opened the one that Hedwig had brought her, she thought the new one would be of much more importance. Originally, it had frightened her: he had used one of the school's owls, surely he could have waited for Hedwig to return? But, no. It wasn't scary news at all. This is, of course, if you weren't Lily Potter.

"Did you get a letter from Harry, too?" Sirius called from the other room, his voice full of excitement. He bounced into the room, a goofy grin on his face holding a letter.

"Yes," Lily nodded, shaking her head**(A/N: That was contradictory, but I'm going to leave it because it made me giggle)**. "He's too young!"

"No he's not, see, look at this line, 'I'm the youngest to play in quite a few(well, that's an understatement) years, but Dumbledore says that I'm all—"

"Goodness, Padfoot, shut it!" Lily growled. "I didn't keep him off a broom for my own entertainment! Need I remind you? Third, fifth, sixth and seventh year? How many times did James nearly die?"

"Well, alright, two, the others were just nasty injuries, but you hated him during half of that, so—"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what _is_ the point?"

"The point is that James was excellent, and he still got hurt all those times. Harry doesn't need to go flying around on a broom in his first year just so he can fall off and break his neck!"

"Love, I think you're forgetting something. James is his father. He was an excellent flyer, and you _know_ how strict Wood is. Remember last year when Fred and George complained for hours on end? He wouldn't let Harry on the team unless he was good, and in order to be good, he has to be able to fly. Understand?"

"I've always _understood_, I just don't want it to happen," she finally sighed. "I guess there was never any stopping it. If anything I should have _let_ him ride a broom. Then when he did play Quidditch he'd have had years of experience." She smiled and set off to write a letter to her son.

"That's the spirit," Sirius grinned. "Hey! I'm going to the muggle city for entertainment. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Sure," Lily nodded, having already started her letter.

BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Later that night, after sending off his letters to Katharine and Ginny, Harry and Ron headed back to their dorms much too late.

"Harry!" Neville called from behind them. They turned around, only to see him rushing towards them.

"Neville?" The two boys said simultaneously. "What're you doing out so late?"

"I couldn't remember my way back to the Gryffindor tower. I've been roaming around for nearly an hour."

"You've been looking on the wrong side of the building," Harry explained as they passed the trophy room.

Ron came to a halt. "I wonder if Malfoy is here?" he wondered aloud, walking over towards the door to the room.

"I knew it!" a scathing voice came from behind the three. "I knew you would come!"

Harry and Ron groaned before turning to look at Hermione. "What're you talking about?"

"Draco! Draco Malfoy told you to meet him here. And you refused, yet you still came. I was starting to wonder when you never returned from dinner, and now here you are!"

"We're on our way back from the owlery!" Harry explained, flustered. "And even so, how did you know about Malfoy?"

"Well, I saw him approach you and I couldn't help but over hear your conversation," she explained as Ron snorted.

"Well either way we're just retu—"

"Shush!" Hermione whispered, eyes widening. They could all hear the sound of footsteps coming down the hall and the humming of Filch growing nearer and nearer. "Inside!"

But that was no use, either.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

Harry held his breath, looking around them until he saw a door, and hurriedly, he waved the other three in with him.

"It was a set-up all along," Harry hissed. "He told Flich that we would be in this room."

"But we disagreed," Ron countered.

"Who said he told him after he challenged you two?" Hermione piped in.

"Who said you were allowed to talk?" Ron shot back, his face scrunched up in anger.

"Unfortunately, she has a point," Harry pointed out, ignoring Hermione's aggravated voice sneering 'unfortunately?' back at him like he was mad.

"Yeah? Well either way, I'd like to make it out of this alive, so can we please get _going_?"

Harry nodded. "C'mon."

However, just as they were about to leave, Neville tripped, falling into Ron, who fell into Hermione who fell into a suit of armor that clashed to the ground.

"Run!" Harry growled at the others, taking off towards the other end of the castle. They ended up inside a room after Peeves threatened to give them away. Thankfully, Peeves hated Filch as much as he hated students.

"Finally," Ron moaned as they closed the door behind them. "Problem solved."

"Problem _solved_? We're locked in a room for who knows how long! That is not a solved problem!" Hermione argued.

"Yes, but we got away from Filch, and _that_ was the problem."

"Well," Harry interjected in a small voice. "You know what they say. 'When one problem is solved, another arises.'"

"What _are_ you talking about?" Hermione hissed, turning to look at what his eyes were glued to. Her breath hitched in her throat as she stared up at the massive creature before Ron started whimpering.

"I think it's quite safe to say we should run," Harry mumbled, slowly backing up towards the door.

Ron and Hermione followed in suit, thought Neville simply stood, rooted in place, looking up at the great monster in fear.

"Neville," Hermione whispered, letting her eyes drift to his frozen figure. "Neville!" She repeated a bit louder. Finally, she gave up, sprinted forwards, grabbed the boy, and dragged him with her. Finally, they reached the common room, thankfully not running into Filch or any other teacher, gasped the password to the Fat Lady who was too far in dream land to ask why they had been gone, and collapsed on the couch.

"Wonder what that _thing_ was doing there?" Ron panted, his arms over his head as he tried to recover his breath.

"Not a bloody clue," Harry sighed, shaking his head. "But at least we know why Dumbledore told us to stay away from there."

Hermione's face turned into a scold. "Are you two as blind as you are idiotic?" she asked, rolling her eyes. Harry opened his mouth to defend himself but she gave him no time. "Did you not see what it was standing on? The trap door?"

"Not quite, no," Harry retorted, rolling his eyes, acting as if he was an idiot like she had claimed. "Why didn't I think of that? My mind wasn't at all preoccupied by a massive three-headed dog snarling at me. I wasn't at all scared that I was closer to death than I'd even been—"

At this, Ron snorted. Hermione and Harry turned to face him, confusion clouded both their eyes. "Yes?"

"Well, no offense, mate," Ron smiled, "but you've been rather close to your death. You just don't remember it, I'd assume." He looked pointedly at the jagged scar on Harry's head.

"Really, Ronald?" Hermione sighed in exasperation.

"Don't call me that," he growled, turning towards the stairs towards the dorm. "I'm going to sleep. G'night."

Neville followed, and soon after, Harry excused himself.

As he climbed up the steps he couldn't help but wonder what could be hiding under the door.

BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Lily reread the letter over and over again.

Well, not the whole letter. Just one tiny sentence.

"_His name is Professor Snape." _

He was kidding, right? She had never spoken Severus' name around her kids, she still hated him after all these years.

Okay, maybe she didn't _hate_ him, but she was still hurt. He had, after all(at least she expected he had), relayed off information to Voldemort and given him information to kill her husband and nearly kill her son. Maybe even her had she been home.

"Sirius!" she called, hoping he had returned from where ever he had gone earlier that day.

A shaggy haired man ran into the room with a wide grin on his face. "Yes, my dearest Lily?" he smiled, obviously not paying much attention to her.

"Snap out of whatever fantasy world you are in," she growled, "and come read this letter."

Sirius' face immediately became serious as he took the letter, reading it casually. "What's wrong with it?" He asked when he had finished.

"Read the second paragraph."

So Sirius did. His eye brows furrowed as he first read it, his lips pressed into a line as he read it again, his nose scrunched up as he read it another time, and finally, he began to shake, crumpling the paper in his hands.

"When I get my hands on that bloody git I'm going to rip his bloody spine out and beat him with it."

"Since when did Severus become a bloody teacher?" Lily frowned. "And I know we stopped getting along, but I know him quite well. I know that if he became a teacher for anything it would have been Defense Against the Dark Arts, not Potions."

"I can't believe you're still calling him _Severus_," Sirius growled coldly. "You know as well as I do that he was most likely part of James' death! You know that he is a bloody Death Eater, _yet you still call him_—"

"Sirius, just stop! He was my best friend! I can't just ignore that fact. I've lost nearly all of my friends from Hogwarts. Only you and Remus are left."

Sirius snorted. "And I feel much better. I lost my family. James and his parents. I lost them. One of my mates from school killed them. You and Remus are all I have left. You still have your parents, Lily. Granted you don't talk to them as much, you still have them. And you should feel incredibly lucky. Not only about that you still have them, but also feel incredibly thankful that they always loved you and you didn't have to run away and adopt yourself into your best mate's family."

With that, Sirius heaved a sigh, placed the letter on the table, and apparated to Merlin knows where.

BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

"Blimey," Ron choked out two days later. "Open the letter."

_DO NOT OPEN THIS AT THE TABLE.  
It contains your Nimbus Two-Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broom stick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock tonight for your first training session._

Professor McGonagall had signed at the bottom, and despite Harry's yearning to rip the package open, he refrained himself.

Fred and George looked up. Realization dawned on their faces as they swathe large package sitting infront of Harry. "_You're_ the secret weapon!" The whisper-yelled together excitedly. "Merlin! You've got to be good. If you're not, and you make our team worse, remember that we have clubs to knock the Bludgers. Also remember that they can be used for more than just Quidditch."

Harry grinned and nodded, then felt a tug on his sleeve. "Let's get upstairs so we can take a look!" Ron said excitedly. Half way to the Gryffindor Common Room, a strikingly blonde blond intercepted them.

"I know what that is," Malfoy sneered, grabbing the package from Harry and feeling it. "This is a broomstick. Didn't you hear, Potter? First years aren't allowed them. But then again your mudblood mother obviously can't understand the ways of Hogwarts. A school for _intelligent_ _pure-bloods ." _

Harry acted confused. "Intelligent?" He paused, thinking. "What're you doing here, then?"

Draco's face grew impossibly red as he held up the package. "I'm going to report you. I'm sure your mummy misses you. I'm sure she won't mind your return a bit earlier than expected. Will she—"

"Problem, gentlemen?" came a squeaky male voice at Malfoy's left elbow.

"Actually, Professor, Potter has been sent a broomstick."

"Oh! Yes!" Professor Flitwick grinned. "I've been notified of your extreme circumstance, Mr. Potter. May I ask what model you've received?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," Harry answered. He couldn't help the smug grin from appearing on his lips as Malfoy's jaw dropped.

After a moment of the short man's eyes traveling from Malfoy's face to the package, to Harry, Malfoy seemed to understand. He tossed the broomstick back at Harry, a scowl set in his features, and he stalked off. Harry thanked the Professor before practically running the rest of the way to his dorm.

BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

_Dear Ginny, _

_Sorry I've not written much. I've been quite busy to say the least. I've gotten your letter, and just so you know, I miss you, too. You're pretty awesome yourself. _

_How about I fill you in on a time in the life of ol' Harry Potter? _

_Well, here goes: _

_I've been recruited to play Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. McGonagall said I was nearly better than Charlie. I don't believe it, of course, even if I never did see him play. I remember all of his stories, and mine sure wasn't as exciting as his. I guess I inherited my dad's flying abilities, though, seeing as I've never flown a broom before and I caught Neville's Remembrall after diving fifty feet. Apparently Charlie couldn't have done it. I don't believe it. Wasn't _that_ hard. If I didn't injure myself, I'm sure Charlie wouldn't have. _

_Has Katharine told you about Draco Malfoy? Well, he attempted to duel me, but of course I declined, being as smart as I am. But we were still late sending your letters(which, by the way, sorry for the shortness. My hand hurt after writing to Kath), so we ended up out after curfew. Somehow, that night ended up in running all over the school with Ron, Neville, and that girl from the train station, Hermione. We went into a room to hide from Filch, and ended up face to face with an enormous three-headed dog. Hermione claimed it was standing on a trap door. Which brings me to this: _

_D'you remember when Hagrid was over and talking to Sirius? I accompanied the two of them to Gringotts, and they went to seven thirteen, I believe it was. They said the only better place than Gringotts to hide anything was here. At Hogwarts. Do you think they could've hidden whatever it was here? I'm certainly wondering if it is possible. _

_Either way, I miss you and I can't wait for Christmas. _

_Love you, little sister. _

_Love, _

_Harry. _

Ginny couldn't help but smile. Although she was simply his little sister in his eyes, she couldn't help but be desperately in love with him. She didn't want to be, but she was.

As she fell asleep that night, she clutched the letter close to her chest, praying for Harry and Ron's safety.

She drifted into a light sleep, yet she remained undisturbed throughout the night.

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**Review? : D **


	8. Elizabeth Young

**Okay. So, I'm not very pleased with this chapter. I love the character I'm bringing in, but apart from that, it's no where near my favorite. **

**By the wayyyy; I know I haven't updated in a while, but school is kind of... School. .-. **

**So, yeah. Aha. **

**And MARCHING BAND. **

**We suck this year. Well, half of the freshman screwed us over. So, we've gotten two twos. Hopefully we qualify for states this weekend. **

**Plus, this weeks foot-ball game is at Warren-Harding. Yeah two hour bus ride! (: **

**Anywhooooo; I really didn't like this chapter of the book in HP&TSS, so I didn't really focus much on Harry. If you'd like to know what happened, go read the chapter 'Halloween'(I believe?) in the book. This is one of the ones that I didn't change. oo: **

**Oh, and I watched the HP7P1 trailer... Ron shall dieeeeee! I'm mad at himmmmmmmmmmm! Dx "You don't know how it feels! You don't have family! Your parents are dead!" - GAHHH. MEANIE. **

**By the way, incase you didn't know, I'm only half way through reading HBP. I've not read DH yet. Sooooo... xDD I only know what happens after Harry sees Snape's memories. xD And I know everyone who dies. /sniffsniff; **

**Disclaimer: ... Katharine is mine. New charrie is mine. Plot is mine. **

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Katharine sighed in frustration. How hard was it to write a letter to Fred? The boy she was completely head over heels for?

_How is that possible?_ she thought. Your head is _always_ over your heels. Shouldn't it be heels over head? What did that mean, anyways? Head over heels? So, what? Are you simply standing there? But even if you were, what did standing have to do with loving someone?

_Quit stalling! _she scolded herself. She picked up her quill and set it on her parchment, ready to write, but lifted it back off for the ninth time. There were now nine dots of ink in the top left hand corner of her soon-to-be-letter, but her mind refused to remain in one place.

"Ginny!" She cried angrily. "How do you write a letter to Harry?"

Snorting, the red head stood up. "I place my quill on my parchment and write a letter, followed by another until it forms a word. Then I repeat the process. It's much the same as it is writing to Ron or the twins, actually."

Katharine groaned. "I can't think of a word to write! Not even that thing that you put at the beginning of a letter! The person's… Person's…"

"Name?" Ginny offered.

"Yes, that!" she huffed. "I can't even think of that!"

"Fred?"

"Yes, him!"

"Well, why not? If I'm not mistaken aside from Harry he's the one you've been writing to most?"

Katharine nodded slowly before frowning and picking up a letter she had received that day. Quickly, Ginny read through, eyes slightly widening near the end. "Fred _likes_ someone? And he's confided in you and not me? Not even told me?"

"Well, it may come to you as a slight surprise but we _are_ quite close," she snapped, snatching the letter back. "Don't mention this to Fred, I don't want him to think I can't be trusted."

"Come off it," Ginny sighed. "I won't. One day, we _will_ take this so-called-Katie-girl down."

Smiling, Katharine reached across to hug her best friend, starting her letter to Fred with renewed hope.

* * *

"So where exactly are we going?"

"You'll see. Just shut your eyes."

"Why? I'm wearing a blindfold anyways."

"Oh."

"Did you really forget?"

"Possibly."

She laughed.

"Hey! It's dark for me, too!"

"So where we're going is somewhere dark? And either way, _you_ put the blindfold on me!"

"I never said we were _going_ somewhere dark, just it is _currently_ dark."

"Hey, did I just hear a twig snap?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what was it?"

"I cracked my knuckle," he lied.

"What?"

"You know? That thing on your hand? It's really kind of hard to describe, really."

"No, I mean, you said you hated cracking your knuckles."

"I lied."

"So you're a liar?"

"Well, I either lied about hating cracking my knuckles or the fact that I _did_ just crack them. So I have no escape of this. So, I am."

"I'm sorry, I tend to not date liars."

"Good thing we're not dating yet, then."

"Oh? Then what exactly is this?"

"Me trying to convince you to date me. 'Member?"

"Oh, right."

"Okay," he sighed. "We're here."

Reaching up, a younger lady around the age of twenty-nine tugged on the string holding the blindfold over her eyes and pulled it away, revealing a small clearing with two candles sitting on a purple picnic blanket(her favorite color), a picnic basket sitting next to the blanket, and through the clearing ran a calm stream, the water strikingly clear, as if it had never seen mud or dirt.

"Sirius," she breathed. It looked as if it were set to perfection for a movie set. In her mind, perfection for movies and reality were different, but this definitely did not seem like reality. "It's so beautiful."

Grinning, Sirius led the brunette over to the blanket, allowing her to sit before joining her. "So are you," he told her once they were both settled. Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him, then eyed the basket.

"So what did you bring?"

Sirius grinned. Grabbing the basket and drawing it closer to him, he lifted the lid. "Nothing special, really, apart from you," he said, glancing meaningfully at her, earning an eye roll, "but also just some wine and stuff to make sandwiches with."

Letting out a laugh, Elizabeth grinned. "This has to be _the _best date. Last time someone tried this with me they brought caviar. Do you know how utterly disgusting fish eggs are?"

Grimacing, Sirius shook his head. "Not really, but I can guess."

Elizabeth giggled as Sirius chuckled, the two noises harmonizing perfectly as one.

* * *

Harry eyed the fallen troll, and then his wand he held.

"Well doesn't that look delicious," Hermione grimaced, flinching away from Harry's wand as it drew nearer to her. "And, thanks," she said shyly.

The two boys nodded right as the door burst open. "Potter! Weasley! Granger!"

The voice of McGonagall rang through the air, the waves of anger weaving into her voice, hitting the three first years with that much more energy and force behind it.

"Professor, this is my fault," Hermione said quickly. "They knew I came here to try and get rid of the … _thing_, or troll. Whichever you prefer. They knew I couldn't handle it alone—which I don't know if I should be offended by or grateful for—and they came to help. It was nearly about to kill me when they walked in."

Ron's jaw dropped. Hermione would be the last person to defend them, so why she was now completely stumped him.

Harry, however, at least guessed. She had known that had they not come, she may be dead right now. And even if they had broken the rules, they had still saved her life, which really, was an impossible-to-pay-back debt.

McGonagall nodded stiffly, eyes narrowing as she looked at her students. "Very well, Miss Granger. I must take five points for your foolishness, thinking you could take on a troll by yourself," she scolded her. "Hurry along to the dorms."

After she had disappeared, Harry and Ron stood, bracing themselves for a punishment. One that never came.

"Your deeds, no matter how foolish, were brave, and that is truly what being a Gryffindor is about. Therefore, I award you both with five points to the Gryffindor house. Now, off to your dorm, as well."

With a quick 'thanks', the two ran out of the bathroom and to the common room without another word, both still to shocked to understand what had just happened.

* * *

Sprawled out beneath the stars, Sirius and Elizabeth gazed up at the sky a comfortable silence between the two. Sirius had an arm wrapped around her shoulder, so when he sat up straight, she fell back when his arm was pulled out from underneath her without any warning.

"Ugh," she sighed, sitting up. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he smirked, standing up and pulling her up. "So," he started. Elizabeth looked at him with expectant eyes. "What do you say, now? Will you date _moi_? You're awesome potential 'bo'?"

"Call yourself my potential 'bo' again and I'll have to say 'no', but apart from that, I think it's do-able," she smiled.

Grinning like a lunatic, Sirius lowered his head to hers and connected their lips for just a moment. When he pulled back, though, Elizabeth stood on her tiptoes, refusing to break the kiss. Breaking away from her he began laughing.

"Excuse me, I wasn't quite finished," she glowered, crossing her arms defiantly. With a smile, he lowered his head back down and let her lips catch his once again.

Several seconds later, a muted thud came from beneath them. "Did a twig just _seriously_ fall out of your pocket?" Elizabeth laughed, reaching down to pick up the object. "Or, what is this? A wand?"

"Erm, yeah," Sirius nodded, taking it back from her. "Hey, don't laugh. Katharine and Ginny love to pretend they're witches. They always make me play with them."

"Oh?" she smiled. "Who are Katharine and Ginny?"

"My friends' daughters. I must've forgotten to take the wand out of my pocket."

"Alright," she nodded. "We should probably be getting back."

"Probably," he agreed ruefully. "Same time tomorrow?" he grinned. Instead of answering with words, Elizabeth grinned, pecking her lips against his. "I'll take that as a yes?" he managed to get in before she once again claimed his lips.

* * *

_Pop!_

"Argh!" Lily shouted, dropping her wand. Whipping around, she saw Sirius standing there, a goofy grin on his face, much like the one he had been wearing over a week ago. "Sirius!"

"Lily!" he retorted, rolling his eyes and he wandered towards the kitchen table.

"Why must you pop in at the worst times?"

Again, Sirius' face lit up with a grin. "Because I just had the _best_ time."

"Oh?" Lily huffed, leaning up against the counter. "And may I ask where you just were?"

"On a date," he answered simply. But even with the simplicity of it, Lily's jaw dropped. He hadn't dated since Hogwarts, and _never_ in the history of his love live had he been so giddy after.

"A _date_?" she gasped, a hand flying to her mouth, muffling a small laugh. "A date made you _this_ happy?" He nodded. "And it was a first date, I presume?" Again, he nodded. "Who was it?"

"You don't know her."

Lily snorted. "I know nearly every witch there is around here. I'm sure there is a _chance_ that I know her."

"My, my, Lily Potter! Just making assumptions right off the back, are we? I never said she was a witch." Sirius' face lit up with a grin as realization dawned on Lily. Sure, he wasn't against muggles what so ever, but he had turned down her suggestion to go out to the muggle city and look for a girl quite a while ago. She had taken it as a 'no way would I ever date a muggle', so she was decently shocked. She stood frozen for just a moment until she fully understood her friend. That was when she started squealing, running over to wrap him in a hug.

"Sirius has a girlfriend!" she shouted happily, emitting a '_what?_' from upstairs. Two pairs of feet could be heard charging down the steps at record speed.

"Sirius has a girlfriend?" Katharine asked hurriedly, her breath coming in pants.

"You have a girlfriend?" Remus asked, less out of breath, but still quite shocked, therefore at a loss of breath.

"That's right, Moony," Sirius nodded, slapping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now it's your turn."

Shaking his head slightly, Remus let out a short laugh. "As much as I'd love to, I wouldn't love to. I'm quite alright like this."

Katharine huffed, catching Sirius' attention. "So who is it? What is her name?"

"She is a muggle. Her name is Elizabeth Hannah Young, she is twenty-nine years old, she is a—I think she called it a vet—animal doctor. She's quite funny, too. And beautiful, really. Maybe I'll invite her over next week if we can rid this house of all magical items. I'm thinking I'll tell her around five months? Give or take a month."

Katharine let out a squeal before running at Sirius. "I'm so happy for you! I _have_ to meet her! How did _you_ meet her?"

"On the streets," Sirius grinned. "She was writing something down and I thought she was pretty, so I decided to act distracted and we walked right into each other. She apologized repeatedly."

"_Oh! Shoot! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" the fair-skinned brunette apologized, getting off the ground and on to her feet, wiping her back side off. _

"_Don't be," Sirius laughed, shaking his head. "It was my fault. I'm Sirius, by the way." _

"_Elizabeth," she told him, holding her hand on to him. Rather than shaking it he brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. _

"_Pleasure to meet you, my lady." _

"_It takes a date to convince me to be your lady," she chuckled, drawing her hand away from him. _

_She began walking away before he chased after her. He head a light 'crack' and looked down at her hands. "Ick. I hate cracking my knuckles." _

"_Well, then. Be happy they're not yours." _

"_I certainly am. But I'm not too thrilled that you're not mine. Would you like to help me change that?" _

_Smiling, the brown-haired girl reached into her pocket. "That's my business card. Either call or stop by. Obviously not for business, unless you've got a dog with a problem." _

_Sirius snorted. "Can you heal a dog with an empty heart?" _

"_If that dog is you, quite possibly. If that dog is not you, and more importantly if that dog is spayed or neutered, I may not be able to." _

"_So you're an animal doctor?" _

"_Sure am," she nodded. "Though some of us prefer to be called vets or veterinarians." _

"_I see." _

"_You do? What a shock. Most people tend to." _

_Sticking his tongue out at her, Elizabeth laughed. "Do you have somewhere to be?" _

"_Not really," he shrugged. "I'll walk you to where ever you are going. Alright?" _

_She sighed. "Very persistent." _

"_Hey!" he frowned. "I've not dated in thirteen or fourteen years. I'm allowed to show interest in a pretty girl like thee." _

"_Why've you not dated?" she asked, truly curious how a man with his looks and charm couldn't get a date. _

"_Complications. I've been raising two kids with my best mates' wife. He passed away ten years ago. I've not really had time, nor have I really wanted to. Nor has anyone really caught my eye. Apart from you." _

_Blushing a shade that would rival with Weasley hair, Elizabeth turned to him. "Then you should be happy to know you're the first guy who has nearly convinced me to date him since my boyfriend broke up with me last year." _

_Both of them stopped to face each other, smiles identical on their faces. _

Sirius smiled to himself as he finished explaining to his friends and Katharine ran off to tell Ginny and Molly and Arthur.

Maybe for once everything would turn out alright.

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**You should review. : D **


	9. Flooing in

**So! I should apologize for taking so long to update, no? **

**And having a crappy update when I do update. **

**So, I've been really stressed lately. **

**My aunt recently passed away on the seventh of November(RestInPeace, AuntJane), and I had her funeral to attend. Up until then I was busy either visiting her or with marching band, seeing as we were preparing for States. 3 We got a two, but at least it wasn't a three. : D That was on the sixth... (Which by the way, we should've gotten a one. Even a parent from another school was amazed. And their school got a one.). **

**Anywho; After that week, with Jane and such, I had make up work. Then the next Monday I came home incredibly sick, and I'm still quite sick, throwing up and such(still... for seven days straight, I've thrown up at least twice every day!), but I had to return to school Friday(otherwise I wasn't allowed to go see the Harry Potter movie(WHICH, by the way, was pretty freaking amazing:D)), and I've had to make up work and such. **

**Overall, I'm not even half way through making up my tests and assignments... **

**Added on to that, my mommy(not really, she's just my best friend who I call mommy) found me a new daddy, but he's being stubborn and won't ask her out. /crosses arms; Humph. He's awesome for her, too. He's so sweet to her and he's not bad. Seriously, though... They've been hanging out a lot, he TOLD her he likes her, she TOLD him she likes him, and WHAT happens? Bingo; NOTHING. C'mon, man, ASK HER OUT! **

**On that note, I've also started liking someone. Heh. STUPID IDEA. Are any of you aware that guys are stupid? No offense to any guys... But this one isn't stupid... He's just... dumb. He's really smart. He's a senior, top 10% of the class, going to an awesome college... But he's dumb. And he's the first guy I've really _really_ liked in a while. And his brother is my friends best friend, he is best friends with his brother, who is best friends with my friends soon to be(hopefully) boyfriend, and HE is ALSO her soon to be(hopefully)boy friend's best friend. They're pretty close. So... I've got my stupid work cut out. **

**... Yes, I did need to rant that out. If any of you bothered to read that, I applaud you and give you some of my daddy's rocky road cookies. (: **

**ANYWAYS. (FINALLY.)**

**This chapter is mainly focusing on Sirius because I have a plot in mind that I'd like to get started. Also, there really isn't much of a change in Harry's life until _second_ year, when it'll get _much_ more interesting, so, I may not focus much on Harry and them unless I want to add something in, maybe just a few paragraphs each chapter to show where I'm at in the story. I promise it gets better next year. (: I mean, with Katharine at the school how could it _not_ get crazy? **

**I know I've not focused much on Remus or Lily, either, but have no fear, they'll be coming in more second year, too. (: Maybe sooner. Well, most likely sooner. **

**Either way, I'll let you read, mmkay? **

**You should review, when you're done, by the way. ;D I've gotten tons of alerts and favorites yet the reviews don't add up! I've got more alerts/favorites than I've got reviews! C'mon, folks! I don't bite! I love to hear your feed back and ideas if you throw 'em out there. (: **

**Don't be shy. (: **

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"Apparently my mum talked to Dumbledore and he's letting her, Katharine, Ginny, Remus, and Sirius come to the first game. I wonder if this is going to be a regular occurrence."

Harry looked from the Quidditch pitch to Hermione and then to Ron. He closed the book Hermione had given to him, _Quidditch Through the Ages_, and sighed. Hermione looked up from her book she had been reading, some muggle book that neither Ron nor Harry had heard of and sighed. "I'll be glad to see Remus and Sirius. We got along quite well before I crossed the wall. They're nice. You're lucky to've been brought up by them."

"Yeah," he grinned, "I am."

"Oi, what does _he_ want?" Ron growled under his breath at the approaching professor. Harry turned around to see what his friend had been looking at, grimacing slightly when he saw his potions professor.

"Potter," Snape nodded, glaring at the book in his hands. "What've you got, there?" Harry held up the book for him to see before it was snatched from his grasp. "Five points from Gryffindor; book from the libraries are not permitted outside of the school."

Harry turned back to his friends with a huff, not bothering to watch him walk away. He was curious as to why he seemed to have a limp, though Ron was the one to address it. "Why d'you think he's limping?"

"Something must be wrong with his leg," Harry shrugged.

Hermione snorted, "I hadn't guessed. Thank you, O Observant One."

"Whatever it is," Ron sighed, "I really hope it's hurting him."

* * *

"Goodness, this is so pretty," Elizabeth sighed dreamily. "I'd love driving home to this every day."

Sirius grinned. "You think this is pretty? Wait until you see the house. Just remember what I said. The big house is _not_ our current house."

"That's what I'm trying to remember," she sighed. "How many houses do you have?"

"Just two. Apart from my place that I don't live at."

Elizabeth's eyes shone with amusement, shaking her head. "I can't believe it. Didn't you say you didn't work?"

"Correct. My parents did, however, and they left too much behind for me. And Lily works. And I technically work. I babysit for her. Even though Katharine and Ginny claim to not need to be sat on. Molly disagrees, and since she is cleaning half the time, she can't watch them. I'll get a job eventually."

"Oh, my gosh," she huffed, shaking her head. "Your life is so confusing."

He grinned as he pulled in front of the house, opening his car door, then hurrying to Elizabeth's side to help her climb out. She froze. "I thought you said we weren't going to the big one?"

"We're not, we passed our summer house about a half a mile back."

Her jaw dropped. "Oh, my God!"

"What?" he frowned, dragging her out of the car. She slapped his arm when he let her go.

"Warn a girl! This is crazy! How much did this place _cost_ you?"

Again, Sirius grinned. "Nothing. We built it."

"Sirius!" she shrieked, slapping his arm again. "You're crazy!"

"So I've been told…" He sighed. He grabbed her hand, twining his fingers with her and dragging her inside. "Come on, Liz. Close your mouth, too. I don't want you swallowing a bug or anything."

"No," she shook her head. "I can't go in there."

"Sure you can," he grinned, hoisting her up into his arms.

"_Sirius!_" She shrieked again. She looped her arms around his neck and hid her face in his shoulder as he opened the door.

"Lily?" he called, once he stepped through the door.

"Sirius!" two yells called from upstairs. Feet were heard pounding down the steps at record speed, even quicker than Katharine and Remus from when Lily screamed Sirius had a girlfriend.

"Hey, Kath, hey, Gin." He smiled, dropping Elizabeth's feet to the floor. "This is Liz. Or her backside at least."

Elizabeth huffed, raising her head to glare at Sirius before turning to the two ten year olds. "Hi," she smiled, "I'm Elizabeth."

Smiling, Katharine reached out to hug her around the waist, smiling at Sirius as she pulled away. "I'm Katharine. Sirius doesn't shut up about you." He sent a glare her way as he wrapped a protective arm around Elizabeth's waist, drawing her closer to him. "He also said how much he enjoyed your date. And he went on and on about your hair. It really is beautiful, like he said. And he talked about your eyes, too. I think that was a re—"

"C'mere, Kath," he sighed, pulling her in for a hug. "I think she gets it."

"Oh," Ginny laughed, "I don't think she does. You started talking about her _forehead_, Sirius," she grinned devilishly before also being pulling in for a hug.

"But I guess that's only reasonable since she's your first girlfriend," Katharine grinned, leading them into the living room where Lily was watching television. Elizabeth turned towards Sirius with a smile, reassuring him she thought it was sweet.

"Sirius!" Lily grinned, jumping up from her seat, setting her food down on the coffee table. She hugged him quickly, allowing him to press a kiss to her forehead before she turned to the girl next to him. "You must be Elizabeth," she smiled, holding out her hand. "I'm Lily Potter."

"Well, you already know my name, but out of politeness, hi, I'm Elizabeth Young."

Lily smiled before dragging Sirius and Elizabeth to the couch, looking at Katharine pointedly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, running out of the house to the Burrow, retrieving Mrs. Weasley. They rushed back to the Potters', bursting through the door in a fit of giggles. Ginny stared wide eyed at her mother before looking to see her expression mirrored by both Lily and Sirius, and an amused expression plastered to Elizabeth's features.

"Ahhhh…" Mrs. Weasley trailed off, straightening up. "Ah! Elizabeth, I assume!"

Standing from her seat on the couch, Elizabeth nodded, holding out her hand to the older mother. "Yes, Elizabeth Young. You're Ginny's mother, I assume?"

"Yes, I am," she confirmed, shaking the younger girl's hand. "Sorry about that. Katharine and I were having a race. She didn't believe I could beat her."

"_Did_ you beat her, mum?" Ginny asked, holding back her own laughter. She couldn't picture her mum running, let alone sprinting.

Straightening out her apron defiantly, Molly straightened up. "As a matter of fact I did."

She couldn't help it: Ginny's jaw dropped as she turned to her best friend. "Mum _beat_ you?"

"Nuh-uh!" Katharine protested, and for a split second Ginny visibly relaxed. "We tied!"

Sirius and Lily both began to laugh, and even Elizabeth cracked a smile.

Then Katharine let out a loud shriek before covering her mouth quickly, staring at the fire place. It had erupted into green flames, allowing Remus to step into the living room, all eyes on him. Including Elizabeth's.

"Holy…" she murmured, stepping back one or two steps. "Sirius?" Jumping up from his place on the couch he wrapped an arm around her.

"Yes, love?" he mumbled, looking at her facial expression. Remus had stood, rooted to the spot once he had seen Elizabeth, and Molly had ushered Katharine and Ginny out of the room.

"Why did a man just step out of your fireplace?" She asked, her voice wavering slightly, though she stood tall. She may not be the most up-tight person, but she wasn't the _most_ relaxed and laid-back, either. Though she acted strong, things like these could still take her by surprise.

Sirius looked pleadingly at Lily and Remus, his eyes wide with something that looked like… _fear_? Lily thought. She sighed. "Tell her. If she reacts badly I can just Obliviate her."

Sirius nodded, leading her to the couch again, holding her hands in his lap. "Might as well get this over with now," he muttered. "Are you listening, Liz?"

"No, Sirius," she snorted, "I'm ignoring what you're saying. I have no desire to learn about why a man just stepped out of your fire place, for the record. Who could want to hear the story about that?"

"Sorry," he sighed, "I'd just prefer to only explain once. Never had to say these words to somebody that had no clue. I am… _we_ are… Remus and I are, and Lily is, but she's the female version… Molly is, too. Her husband, as well. And the kids. They all are, too—"

"Sirius!" she growled.

"Wizards?" he laughed dryly, looking into her eyes as he spoke. As he said that, her eyes clouded over, some unknown emotion brewing within them.

"So Lily is…"

"A witch."

"Sirius, how rude of you!" Molly scolded as she entered the room. "How dare you call her such a rude name!"

"As is Molly," he added, a small smile forming on his lips.

"_Sirius!_" She yelled.

"He's explaining, Molly," Lily sighed, looking back at the couch. Molly's mouth snapped shut and she turned away after a quick apology. "Remus, come over here." Lily called, going to the far side of the room to give the two a bit of privacy, but not leaving them alone in case of Elizabeth's reaction.

"So that's who he is," Elizabeth nodded, watching Remus join Lily and Molly.

"Indeed," Sirius grinned, watching his best friends head across the room. Reality hit him again as he turned back towards her. "Liz?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you believe me?"

She closed her eyes, sinking into the couch, and into Sirius' embrace. "I don't know. It all makes sense, why that food was still warm after we got there after we drove around for an hour; in fact it was so hot that you burnt yourself on it—don't think I hadn't noticed that. You had a toy—well, it may not be toy—wand with you. A man stepped out of your fire place. You said Lily worked for the Ministry. When I asked what that was you shut up. Later you explained that she hunted bad guys. That would be working for the government. You say things that I don't quite understand, and somethings that I say, you don't understand. Things that you should know about. You didn't know who the prime minister was when I said his name. You act like you live in a different world at those times. But I can't decide if I'd go to that extent. Go as far to say you were a wizard."

Smiling widely, Sirius pulled his wand from his pocket, looking at her. "A demonstration, perhaps?"

"Perhaps. I wish you could fly on a broom. But I'm assuming those are only in the stories, so, just do something." She resented.

"You assume wrong," Sirius grinned, flicking his wand ever-so-slightly. "_Accio Broom!_"

As they got up, Elizabeth looked around. "What was that supposed to do?" she wondered aloud, looking around.

"Just wait. Should be here."

In that second, a broom stick came zooming into the room, right into Sirius' waiting hand. Having realized this wasn't some joke, Elizabeth screamed. "Holy _crap_, Sirius, what did you do?"

"Summoned my broom, c'mon," he replied cheekily.

He dragged her along into the yard, mounting his broom. He held an expectant hand out to her which she just stared at. "What?"

"Aren't you coming?"

"Where?"

"For a ride?" He grinned, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Elizabeth sighed. "Just show me."

With a shrug, Sirius kicked off the ground and rose into the air, zooming around carelessly. He breathed in contentedly, loving the feeling of open air around him. For a few minutes he just flew around before returning to the ground, walking over to Elizabeth, who was sitting cross –legged on the ground, examining a blade of grass with all her might.

"Love?" said Sirius as he took a seat next to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and let her melt into his embrace. "What's wrong?"

"This isn't real," she whispered, shaking her head from side to side. "In a few minutes I'm going to wake up. This whole dream is going to be forgotten by noon, but I don't want to wake up."

He chuckled, pinching the back of her hand. "Ow!" She yelped, dropping the grass and turning to glare at Sirius. "What the heck was that for?"

"Did it hurt?"

"No, Sirius, it tickled."

"Then you are dreaming. If only it hurt. Then you'd just somehow be wide awake."

"Shut up," she snapped. "Just let me enjoy this dream, will you?"

"It's not a dream."

"Then what is it?"

"Reality?"

"Sirius," she frowned, turning to face him, "this isn't real. The only magic there is consists of cards tricks and rabbits and doves, the only wands there are are toys, and the only wizards and witches there are are in the fairytales."

"Then you're living in a fairytale, Liz. I mean, I'm in it. That makes it one right away, eh?" She smiled at this, picking a daffodil that was next to her, tearing out the petals. "Liz, I don't know how to convince you this isn't a dream."

"You can't." She sighed. Frowning, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, placing his face in her hair. "You know, everyone in my life either calls me Elizabeth or Beth. When my parents tried to call me 'Liz' or 'Lizzy', I refused to answer them. I always thought that nickname was gross. I never wanted to hear it, never wanted anyone to call me that. And then you said it, and I wondered why I ever refused to be called by it. But one of my workers heard you say good bye to me. You called me Liz, so they tried. It didn't sound the same, so I told them not to call me that. It's _your_ name for me, I figured out. I can't stand it coming from anyone else. Even previous boyfriends. Why are you so different?"

"I think the broom answered that question," Sirius grinned, placing a quick kiss on her forehead. "Come on, love, just one ride."

"What if I fall off?" She fretted as Sirius pulled her off the ground.

"Then you'll wake up, won't you?" he muttered scathingly. "You won't. I promise."

* * *

"_Daddy, what's going on with Harry?" Katharine frowned as she stepped out of her father's embrace. "Why isn't he writing?" _

"_Tomorrow is his first match, Kathie, he's preparing," he told her, sitting them down on the floor. _

"_No, he hasn't responded in a week." _

"_He's busy. He'll be seeing you soon, though, won't he? Yell at him then," James grinned down at his daughter. "Tell him that he needs to write you at least once a day to keep you happy unless he wants a Howler." _

_Katharine giggled, thinking about tomorrow. Tomorrow they would be flooing to Dumbledore's office in order to watch Harry's performance in his first Quidditch match ever. To say Katharine was excited was an understatement. _

"_Sirius is settling down?" James asked, pulling her from her thoughts. _

"_Oh, daddy, yes! Elizabeth seems so nice! And he's told us so much about her! She's so nice! But Remus floo'd in today when she was there. Sirius explained that we were wizards. Mum said she would Obliviate her if it turned out bad. I don't know if it did. But mum and Sirius both left with her when it came time for her to leave. I think mum wiped her memory. I wish she hadn't. I'd've liked for her to know about us." _

_James smiled. "Kath, I don't think Sirius is letting this girl go, you'll call her family one day, I pray. He's a sap. Tease him on that, would you?" _

"_I will," she smiled. _

"_Thank you," he grinned, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her into his side. "Still trying to get that red head's attention, eh?" _

"_Daddy!" she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, "You very well know his name is _Fred_, and you very well know that… yes?" _

_James let out a light laugh, squeezing her shoulders. "Well I hope he notices you. He has already, Kath, he loves you, just not like that. This is one boy I approve of, though. Wait until you see him at Hogwarts! Just wait until Sirius hears about what he's done _this_ year!" _

"_Daddy…" she started in a warning voice. _

"_I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he surrendered, holding his hands up in front of him. "Slightly. But he retrieved the map! He and George have a bright future ahead of them, I'd say." _

"_Map?" _

"_Yes, one that you'll learn about soon enough." _

"_Really?" she sighed, looking at him with pleading eyes. "You can't even give me a _hint_?" _

"_Nope, sorry, Kathie," he grinned, pressing his lips to her hairline before pulling her to her feet. "Your mum would kill me if you woke up talking about the map. Sirius would Rejoice in the fact that it was retrieved, which no one would mind, really, apart from Lily." _

_Katharine smiled slightly, burying her face into her dad's chest, breathing in. He may've just been a spirit—if that's what he was in her dreams—but it was almost like she could smell him. Even when she woke up the smell still lingered. _

"_I love you, daddy," she murmured. _

"_Love you, too, Katharine," he sighed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. _

_

* * *

_

**Hmmm, so, Hermione is going to be a little more... sarcastic in this story. She's just more talk back prone. Sarcasm doesn't mean she'll slack anymore in her school work or anything. **

**ANYWAYS. Uhm, I kinda just whipped this chapter up. Well, not really, but I didn't exactly proofread it... So, any mistakes and I apologize. **

**Review, please? Do so and I'll have a up to five chapters up over Thanksgiving break. Maybe four... but none the less I'll work my butt off! (: **


	10. It's Potter to you

**I HAVE EXCITING NEWS. **

**Okay, so, you know a pretzel, right? The baked ones, those mini ones you buy in bags? Have you ever tried to get the two sticks in the middle out and not break the outside? **

**I DIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD! **

**That probably made me the happiest person ever... (((: **

**Anyways! I'm really lacking on inspiration for this story... **

**I just want to get to second year. x.x I may just do on more chapter to sum up the rest of first year, and then move on to Katharine's first year. I'll probably do that... **

**Anyways! **

**On to the story! **

**(this is one of my shorter A/Ns... x3)**

"C'mon, Mum!" Katharine yelled, waiting next to the fire place. "The game starts in forty-five minutes! I want good seats!"

"And we'll get good seats!" Remus chuckled, coming up behind her. "Honestly, Kath, you're going crazy. Consider yourself lucky that you get to see part of Hogwarts before your first year. This doesn't happen to just anyone, you know."

She smiled, pulling her hair loose of the ponytail she had put in.

Ginny stood next to her, fingering the hem of her shirt.

"You okay, Gin?" Katharine wondered, looking at her friend with narrowed eyes.

Ginny looked up, almost as if she were a five year old caught painting on her mother's favorite plates.

"Yeah. A bit nervous. We're going to Hogwarts before we're supposed to. Not many people get to. It's just weird, I think."

Lily finally walked in, nodding her head. "It should be. Consider yourselves lucky."

"Is Sirius coming?"

"Sirius is coming!" he shouted from the door. "Merlin, Moony, calm yourself."

The girls and Remus rolled their eyes as Sirius entered, waltzing to the fireplace. He grabbed a handful of floo powder before throwing it down, and stating very clearly, "Professor Dumbledore, Hogwarts!"

The others followed in suit, all stepping out into the large office, all feeling watched.

"There you are!" they heard, all but Remus jumped. They turned to see Albus Dumbledore floating down the spiraling stairs. "I was just wondering when you would happen to arrive," he said evenly, his eyes twinkling. Sirius and Remus both reached to shake his hand before he held both of his arms up. "Unless you would like the foul smell of dragon toe-jam on your hands, I would suggest waiting until a more convenient time to shake hands."

Both of the men looked at each other before slowly lowering their hands, backing away slightly. Katharine's eye sparkled with amusement as Remus returned to her side and pulled her and Ginny out the door. Sirius ran ahead, his fist out in front of him as he yelled out a battle cry. Lily rolled her eyes and followed them as they all made their way to the quidditch pitch.

When they got there, most of the students were already making their way to their respective stands. Lily led the others to the front corner of the Gryffindor stands, the exact place that she, Remus, Peter, and Alice always sat during their school years. She shared a glance with Remus, who nodded, and took his old seat; the one furthest in the corner. Normally, Peter was placed next to him, then Alice, and Lily was on the very end. Both Lily and Remus stared at the seat next to him, anger burning in his eyes, sorrow and loss in hers.

Reluctantly, she placed Katharine and Ginny next to Remus, and then she sat with Sirius next to her.

Katharine looked around in amazement, staring at the pitch. She had never seen one before. The only time she had _heard_ of Quidditch was when the Weasley brothers would drone on about it, and when Harry had written her.

She turned to look at her mom, who was anxiously bouncing her leg up and down. To some people, it would look as if it were a natural habit, one that Katharine had inherited, but she knew better. Katharine bounced her leg out of boredom or stillness, her mum bounced it out of fear or an emotion close to that. She reached across Ginny and placed a hand on her knee, seizing the rapid bouncing. Her mother looked at her, and offered her a small smile. Katharine raised a questioning eyebrow, but Lily waved her off. She turned back to Remus, hoping he would know.

"Rem?" she said warily.

"Yeah?"

"What's got mum so scared?"

He shook his head, looking out at the pitch. "Your father, though an amazing player, had many injuries from quidditch. It's something your mother absolutely hated about him. He could just go out and risk falling or getting seriously injured, and didn't care. Of course, he started caring once she let him know she cared. Oh, Merlin. She nearly killed him, she did. He fell off his broom, incredibly high up. She wasn't at that game, mind you, but I took her to him. Sixth year. They weren't together, or even friends yet, but everyone knew she was finally starting to reveal her feelings. She wouldn't respond when someone teased her about his undying love for her, and she wasn't screaming at him.

"Oh, but she screamed at him once he got out of the infirmary. The only reason she waited was because when she first tried Poppy had kicked her out. Said he gave her a heart attack when she walked in to see him battered and bruised, and nearly dead. He had been playing for five years at that point, and he still had to wait _weeks_ before he was released from the hospital wing. Harry is her son, and she's never once hated him. She's loved him forever, and he's at risk, just as James was."

"Daddy hurt himself playing quidditch?" Katharine asked, her jaw dropping slightly. Ginny laughed next to her.

"Kaff, tons of people get hurt playing quidditch. Even the best players. People have been known to die, but their usually the people with horrible luck. Not to sound mean, or such. But it's natural to get hurt during a quidditch season."

"_Died_?" Katharine's jaw dropped.

"Oh, yes, but it's very rare."

She could only manage a nod as she turned to look at her mom and Sirius, glad he was making her laugh and more comfortable. She noticed her leg was no longer bouncing and took this as a good sign.

Just as she turned to speak to Remus again, people around her began screaming out, and she noticed two others trying to make their way over to them. "Ron!" Katharine yelled out delightedly. He and another girl took seats behind her, the girl looking at her confusedly.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Katharine, Harry's sister," she nodded, taking in the girls appearance. She looked oddly familiar.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed. "You look… different."

Ron snorted, "did we never tell you that she was a metamorphmagus?"

Hermione's jaw dropped. "I take that as a no?" Ginny laughed. "I'm Ginny, this git's sister."

"You're Fred and George's sister," she nodded. "They've told me about you. Mind you, they've told me tons about Katharine, too, yet it was never said that you were a metamorphmagus."

"I don't tell many people," Katharine shrugged. "I really only use it at home, or when I get bored. Most people don't know unless they're trusted. This is how I naturally look."

The cheering got louder around them, and as she looked on to the pitch, she saw fifteen people. Two players in the front shook hands, and the one next to them blew her whistle. With that, fourteen players and one referee floated into the air, and the balls were released.

"And the quaffle, taken by Angelina Johnson—Gryffindor, is immediately in play. Third year, of course, but an _excellent _Chaser, if I say so myself. Not to mention _quite_ attractive, ju—"

"Jordan!"

"Sorry, Professor," he apologized. Katharine smirked. She knew this was Lee Jordan, Fred and George's best friend. He often wrote in on George's letters, and occasionally Fred's.

"—and that's the Gryffindor Chaser Katie Bell—"

Katharine froze. _Katie_? Is that who Fred was talking about? She looked out at the game, searching for the girl. Her eyes landed on her. She couldn't deny that she was incredibly pretty, even when her face was so stone-like, focusing on the game.

"Hagrid!" Ron and Hermione cried from behind her. She turned around to see the giant, smiling at him when they made eye contact.

"Kath'rin!" he grinned, patting her head. "Bin a few months since I seen you. How've yeh bin?"

"Good," she smiled. "Come to watch the game?"

"Harry, more spific'ly. Bin watchin' from me hut. Not quite the same. Any sign of the Snitch, yet?"

Ron shook his head. "Not yet. Harry's been flying around above the game."

Just then, as Katharine looked back to the game, she drew in a breath. A large ball, a Bludger, she thought, was hurtling towards Harry. She glanced at her mother to see her eyes grow wide, watching Harry duck away from it just in time. Fred flew near him, beating it in another direction before turning to ask Harry a question. Harry answered and once again Fred flew away. Remus and her shared a look of relief, until, finally, they heard Lee, "was that the Snitch?"

Katharine's head snapped back to the pitch, her eyes seeking out Harry. He was racing with another boy, who was in green robes. She assumed this to be the Slytherin Seeker, and yelled at Harry to get the Snitch. Her eyes were on the sparkling snitch, one she could barely make out, when she heard yelling around her. She looked at Harry, who was spinning on his broom, and mentally cursed. The boy that had shaken hands with Oliver Wood at the start of the game had knocked in to Harry, but also had prevented his own team mate from reaching the Snitch in the process, thankfully.

Time passed, until she saw her brother rising, and rising, and his broom bucking. _Is that supposed to happen_? She wondered, looking at her mother again. Her face was paled, and by that, Katharine knew it wasn't.

"I knew it," Hermione muttered from behind her. Her, Ginny, Ron, Remus, Sirius, and her mum turned to look at her. She nearly blushed under all the eyes, but she nodded towards the Slytherin stands. "Snape. Look at him. He's saying something. He's jinxing the broomstick."

Lily stiffened as she saw what Hermione was seeing. Katharine looked at her, then Sirius—who was looking _quite_ murderous, and the Remus, who was worriedly glancing at Lily, and then she looked at Ginny, who was staring at her. Both their eyes widened, and both watched Harry be thrown around. Ginny was frozen in fear, and Katharine was simply shocked. Soon his broom started shaking violently, nearly throwing him off. She wasn't quite sure how he had managed to hold on.

Just as she saw Hermione reaching Snape, the shaking and bucking stopped. But—what? Snape was still muttering under his breath, staring intently at Harry. She wanted to yell across the pitch at Hermione, but it was too late. She had already set the material on fire, and Katharine sighed. She turned her face back to her brother, watching as he hurled at the ground, slapping a hand across his mouth. Had all that broom non-sense made him sick?

"I've got the Snitch!" he yelled, waving a small object around above his head.

Cheering came from everywhere, except for the Slytherin stands, where you could distinctly hear cussing and foul language being thrown at the Gryffindor team. Both the Weasley twins ran up to Harry and raised him on their shoulders, carrying him around like royalty.

-there is a break here but fanfiction hasn't been displaying it lately-

"_Severus. Bloody. Snape._" Lily ground out, running after the retreating figure. He turned around, surprise covering his features when he saw her. "_You_, you… You… UGH! You filthy, lying, scumbag. You _arrogant_ arse, you _bloody _idiot, you… You—"

"Lily?"

"_What_?"

"You... look different."

"Of course I look bloody different! I'm fifteen years older than the last time I saw you, and my son nearly bloody _died_ today, no thanks to you, you… you… _bloody f_—"

"_Snivellus,"_ Sirius sneered, coming up behind Lily, placing a hand on her shoulder. She visibly relaxed at his touch, but not by much. Sirius may've been her best friend, but he was no James. But, she knew that if she were to fight Severus, she would not be able to stand it. She would either back down, or she would lose all control. She would lose all control and hurt him. Badly.

"Black," Snape ground out, drawing his wand.

Sirius grabbed his as well, looking at the students that were passing by. A few had stopped to watch the two men. "Move along!" he barked, waving towards the castle. Only the Gryffindor and Slytherin team remained at the pitch, along with Professor Quirrell, who was watching as he retreated. The teams had to shower and change, which would take a while. Katharine and Ginny were ordered back to the castle with Percy, who had no idea of the situation. He was told to lead them to the Gryffindor common room right after the game, and after that, Lily stormed after her former best friend. Look where that ended them up. Remus stood behind, ready to stop it all if needed.

Once all the students had disappeared, Sirius turned to glare at Snape. "My bloody _son_!" he growled.

"Oh, had an affair with your best friend's mate, eh?" Snape growled, looking at a fuming Lily. Her face grew—if possible—even angrier at that.

"Unlike you, I know that blood doesn't matter, in society _and_ family. And he doesn't have to have my DNA for me to see him as my bloody son!"

"Oh? And James, he was your brother, no?"

"Don't you _dare_ speak a word about James," Lily hissed, shoving past Sirius and in front of Snape. "Harry _does_ have my DNA, and he _is_ my son, and you bloody well tried to change that. Just because he is James' son doesn't mean anything! Or, what, does that make him _easier_ to try and harm? Is it your life goal to put me in pain, Severus? Is it? To kill all the ones I love? If I said I loved you would you jump off a cliff without a broomstick? Or would you know I was lying?"

"Lily, you hated him…" he pleaded.

"No, I never hated him! I found him bloody annoying, but I never had it in me to say I hated him, because deep down, I had _loved_ him. Did you know, I thought I loved you? I did. I stayed up every night, wondering how I would figure it out. You know how I figured out it was all a lie? You called me—called me a – a _mudblood_, and for some reason, I didn't hurt. I was disappointed. Oh, I cried at first. You were my best friend. But you never defended me. Never once. Except against James, who was right all along. I used to defend you. That's why he was annoying. Because he got to you. But he was right. You never deserved my friendship, Severus. You killed my husband, and tried to kill Harry."

"I didn't try and kill Harry!"

"You were bloody _jinxing_ his broom! I saw you! You were staring at him. You were jinxing him!"

"I _wasn't_! Someone else was, and I was _saving_ him, much as I hate to admit it. I was trying to help, Lily, I really was."

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not, Lily, I —"

"Just _shut it_, Sniv. And it's 'Potter' to you."

As she turned back to Sirius and Remus, she noticed the Weasley twins, Katie Bell, and her own son.

Snape took one last look at her before glaring at the kids and turned to the school, making it to the castle doors only a minute later.

"Mum?" Harry whispered. She looked at him, her eyes full of tears she refused to let fall, and dropped to her knees. She hadn't cried since Harry was three, she refused to. She wouldn't let his death get to her, and that was the one thing that made her want to cry, no matter where, or when, or what.

But suddenly, seeing Severus again, she was taken back to her seventh year at Hogwarts, when he nearly killed James for the first time.

The sight of Harry, looking so much like his father, didn't help.

"Harry…" she murmured, sitting back on her feet, beckoning him to her. He obeyed, walking to her side, and she wrapped her arms around him. He let her cry into his neck, hugging her tightly. Sirius and Remus had come over, as well, enveloping both Harry and Lily in their arms.

"Go back to the castle," one of the twins murmured.

"We'll catch up," the other one agreed. The both made their way over to Lily and the brother and uncle figures, standing awkwardly, waiting for Lily to calm. When she did, the rest of the Gryffindor and Slytherin team had already made their way back to the castle, and it was now only the six of them at the edge of the pitch.

"Lily?" George murmured cautiously. You could always tell which one was which when they were trying to comfort someone, or were talking to someone who was upset. George took caution, while Fred simply talked softly. Fred believed that if someone was hurt, you don't need to go around making them think you're scared of them. George agreed, but he couldn't help but worry, which made him cautious.

Sirius was the first one to speak after the silence. "Let's get back up to the castle. Kathie and Gin are probably awaiting us."

Fred nodded, coming over to Lily, George following closely behind. "Aunt Lily?" George spoke again. The Weasleys' normally called Lily 'aunt' and Remus and Sirius 'uncle'.

"Yes?" she asked, sniffling, and wiping her eyes, letting out a long breath.

"Are you okay to walk now?" Fred asked.

"Of course," she nodded, walking ahead of all of the boys. They followed, Sirius wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulder. He looked down at him, a grin lighting his features, as he crouched down in front of him, as the others walked in to the castle.

"Harry," he smiled, blinking, "you were amazing. You held on, too. This was your first game. You held on, you stayed on, and you won your game. Your father would be proud of you. Actually, he wouldn't be; he is. He smiling down on you right now, you know. Don't ever doubt that he isn't. Because whenever he looked at you, he only smiled. He's proud of you, and he'll never stop being proud."

Harry smiled, wrapping his arms around Sirius' neck. "Thanks, Sirius."

"No problem."

They followed the others into the castle, heading to the Gryffindor common room, smiling the whole way.

_Harry_ had won.

-there is a break here but fanfiction hasn't been displaying it lately-

"Where've you been?" Elizabeth asked once Sirius finally picked up the muggle phone he had purchased for her.

"Harry's game."

"Right," she nodded, breathing into the phone. "Sorry, I forgot. Anyways, can you come pick me up? I hate to ask this of you, but my car was totaled last week, and I've been walking, but it's raining, so I'm not really looking forward to walking home in the—"

"Liz," Sirius sighed, cutting her off. "I'll be there in about thirty minutes. Finish up whatever you're doing and I'll be there, okay?"

"Thanks," she let out a breath before hanging up.

Sirius closed his eyes. He had put a tongue tie curse on her so if she had tried to tell anyone that he or anyone else was a wizard, or that magic existed, she'd be unable to. She hadn't complained about it yet, and she hadn't known he was doing that. He took that as a sign that she hadn't tried to tell anyone yet, and that he could most likely trust her. But he wasn't going to remove the curse just yet.

He shuffled out to the car, placing the enchanted necklace in his pocket. He had found it in his mother's old jewelry box, and had checked it himself for curses, going as far as to get Remus and Lily check it as well.

As he drove, he let his mind wander. He had been with Elizabeth for a month, as of today. They had planned on seeing each other later, and instead of picking her up later, he decided he'd just stay at her house as she changed.

He pulled into the parking lot and went inside, carrying a muggle invention. It was called an… An… Under-Ella? He wasn't sure, but he carried it in, waiting in the lobby for her. After a minute or two she left her office, petting a collie that she passed, murmuring a greeting to the owner, and saying good luck to the collie puppy.

"She's getting spayed today," Elizabeth grinned at him as she shrugged into her jacket. She placed a short kiss on his lips, grabbing the umbrella from his hands, before taking his hand in hers. "You brought the umbrella this time!"

"Um… brella. Right. That's what I brought. Right?"

She giggled, opening it up as they made the walk to his car. "Yes, it is. Umbrella. Where are we going?" she asked anxiously, bouncing around. He had kept it a secret, refusing to tell her.

"No chance," he grinned, walking her to her door, opening for her. "But I'm not going home before we go out. I'm just staying at your house. Is that alright?"

She nodded. "Fine with me."

-there is a break here but fanfiction hasn't been displaying it lately-

(**A/N; I got lazy… I'm skipping to the end of the date. (: **)

"I got you something," Sirius murmured, his cheeks heating up. Normally, guys weren't one for the '-iversaries' unless they were big ones. 'Monthiversaries'? Not so much. But he found it perfect for her.

"Oh?"

"Yes," he nodded, reaching into his pocket. "It's a mood necklace. Apparently muggles try and make these. They do it by body temperature, though. That's what Lily said, anyways."

He clasped it around her neck as she held her hair to the side, and she smiled. It turned the perfect shade of pink. "And that means?"

"Great happiness," he grinned.

She smiled and leaned into kiss him, catching his lips in a deeply passionate kiss. They broke apart after minutes, both panting. They both looked down. "Orange?"

"Desire."

She threw her head back in a laugh. "This thing is pretty damn accurate," she grinned as the waited placed their check. Sirius glanced at it, placing muggle money within the envelope, going nearly thirty dollars over. He handed it to the waiter at the front desk murmuring 'keep the change' before dragging Elizabeth to a hotel that was so _conveniently _placed next to the restaurant they had dined at.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes but allowed him to lead her to the room he had already rented.

"You're an idiot, Sirius Black."

"My mood necklace wasn't the one that turned orange," he pointed out before unlocking the door and pulling her into another kiss.

* * *

**Yessssssss, it IS an actual mood necklace! I want one. x.x **

**Eitherway, I kinda realized I was doing the meaning of roses when I was making my chart of colors, so for the colors of roses there are, those are the definitions of the mood necklace. (: **

**Just saying. **

**And the Lily/Snape scene didn't turn out how I wanted it to. /: At all. I expected it to be... much better. **

**But, have no worries, thats not the last of Snape arguements with Lily! **

**Anyways. You should review. Porfavor? **

**Gracias. d: **


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